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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25274800">Avengers Lockdown: Philadelphia Freedom (SFW)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlickeringHearth/pseuds/FlickeringHearth'>FlickeringHearth</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Avengers Lockdown (SFW) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lie to Me (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU, Action, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Anxiety, Avengers Family, Crossover, Drama, Eating Disorders, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Occasional swearing, Past Child Abuse, Polyamory, Post-Avengers (2012), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:33:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>36,214</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25274800</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlickeringHearth/pseuds/FlickeringHearth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Avengers send a team to bring Phil Coulson to freedom. Sequel of Avengers Lockdown: Code Seven-Eight</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bruce Banner/Original Female Character(s), Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, Gillian Foster/Cal Lightman, Jane Foster/Thor, Loki (Marvel)/Original Character(s), Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Avengers Lockdown (SFW) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1806316</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This fic begins immediately after Avengers Lockdown: Code Seven-Eight after the reveal that Phil Coulson is alive.</p><p>Due to its shorter length, this fic will be released in full here. For additional content and maps of Stark Tower, follow me on Twitter @FlickeringH</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Silence rumbled with the thunder outside Stark Tower.</p><p>Thor leaped to his feet and rounded on Loki. “What did you do, brother?”</p><p>Loki threw up his hands. “I had nothing to do with this. I assure you, it was an honest stabbing. It is not of my doing that he is alive.” He shrugged. “An odd thing to have to defend myself for.”</p><p>“Shut up, Thor,” Natasha said. She spun back to Tony. “What do you mean this is a live feed?”</p><p>“The obvious,” Tony said. “We're watching Coulson live, in person, alive and everything, right now.”</p><p>Confusion brought silence again.</p><p>Then dangerously soft voices broke through. “You said he was dead.”</p><p>They turned to find the Triplets' fire-filled eyes trained on Fury.</p><p>He heaved a sigh and tossed a glare at Tony. “No, I said the paramedics called it. They pronounced him dead.”</p><p>“How is he alive then?” Clint asked.</p><p>“Did they make the wrong call?” Steve asked.</p><p>“Or is it because we were right?” Lizzy said, slowly climbing to her feet. “He is one of them.”</p><p>“One of who?” Bruce asked.</p><p>Michael leaped up. “He is, isn't he, Fury?”</p><p>“Who is what?” Steve asked.</p><p>Arriana slowly unwound herself from the couch in silence – a cobra ready to strike, her eyes eager to burn holes in the sun. “Tell us the truth or we will get it ourselves.”</p><p>“Sit down, you three,” Fury said, rubbing his hands over his face.</p><p>“Not this time,” Michael said.</p><p>“This went too far,” Lizzy said.</p><p>“Did it?” He stared back at them, brow quirked over a very tired-of-this-shit eye. “Or was the world on the line and the only people who could stand between us and total annihilation were splitting apart at the seams? Was it maybe a desperate attempt to make you work together when we needed it most? And the fucking last wish of a man who I hoped would live, but could very well have just died.”</p><p>“What do you mean?” Clint said.</p><p>Fury looked around the room. “As he was dying, Phil Coulson believed in you. All of you. He said 'It's okay, boss. This was never going to work, if they didn't have something...' For all I knew in that moment, those were his last words. I thought I could save him. I hoped I could save him. But I had to save the world first. And to do that, you needed something to fight for. Because apparently the safety of our world wasn't enough. But I knew you'd fight for Coulson.”</p><p>“So you used their love for Coulson against them?” Pepper said. Everyone turned to her. Her eyes sparked and snapped.</p><p>“Oh shit,” Tony muttered. “You're so dead, Fury. I've seen that look.”</p><p>“Yeah? You're still alive, Stark,” Fury said.</p><p>“Yeah, but I'm cute.”</p><p>“Not that cute,” Pepper said.</p><p>“Apparently cute enough.”</p><p>“Not right now, Tony,” she snapped. Pepper sat forward, her steel CEO face on. “You manipulated them to do what you wanted.”</p><p>“Yes, I did, Ms. Potts.” Fury took a long drink of coffee. “Or would you rather I'd gone for the method of 'oh pretty please don't let us all die'? Because I tried that and it ended with them bickering amongst themselves until an explosion almost killed us all.”</p><p>“Oh, please,” Loki said. “That blast couldn't possibly have killed any of you. It was barely a flare. A warning shot so to speak.”</p><p>“I don't really think you should be weighing in on this conversation,” Natasha said.</p><p>“We wouldn't be having this conversation if it wasn't for you,” Clint added.</p><p>“I heed your warning. However, I don't think he's telling you everything.” Loki looked between the Triplets. “What do you know?”</p><p>“Coulson was one of the test subjects, wasn't he?” Lizzy turned back to Fury. “That explains his love for Captain America.”</p><p>“And how he knew just a little too much about what things were like in the forties and fifties,” Arriana said.</p><p>“And that his stamina just didn't fit his physical looks.” Michael set his glass down. “He might have been balding, but he was stronger and faster than any guy in the prime of life.”</p><p>Fury laughed softly. “Coulson was always in the prime of life.”</p><p>“Don't talk about him in the past tense, Nick,” Tony said. “He's right there.” He pointed to the screen.</p><p>“Where is 'there'?” Clint asked.</p><p>“Don't know,” Tony said. “No coordinates. No location name. Nothing.”</p><p>They looked at Fury.</p><p>“Don't look at me.”</p><p>“No, we are going to look at you. Where is he?” Natasha said. “You're the one who hid this from us.”</p><p>“I hid that he was alive. I didn't hide him from you.”</p><p>“Sounds to same to me,” Bruce said. “But I want to go back to what the Triplets said. What do you mean by test subjects? What else was SHIELD testing on people?”</p><p>“Same thing you were searching for, doctor,” Fury said.</p><p>“Oh, not this again.” He ran his hands through his hair. “How many times are they going to try to recreate him?” he cried, gesturing at Steve. “How many people have to die before you give up?”</p><p>“If I'm correct, doctor, you never worked for SHIELD,” Fury said. “You worked for the United States government, who were also trying to recreate the lost serum.”</p><p>“The serum?” Steve's brow furrowed . “This is about the Super Soldier program? I thought it was shut down after Dr. Erskine's death.”</p><p>“The original program was shut down,” Tony said. “But they never stopped trying to recreate it. My father spent most of the remainder of his life working on rediscovering the serum.”</p><p>“Tell me about it,” Bruce said, his head in his hands. He looked up at Fury, eyes tortured and voice wavering. “How many other victims are there?”</p><p>Lizzy started to get up, but Michael and Arriana caught her. She bit her lip and wrapped her arms around herself. Bruce glanced at her, his eyes pleading for a moment before he wrenched his gaze away with a fleeting glance at Loki.</p><p><em>I am sorry to cause you such troubles,</em> Loki said in her mind, sliding his large hand into her smaller one.</p><p>Fury sighed. “Dr. Banner, may I point out that you were not the target of the experiment.”</p><p>“No, just an unknowing participant.” He dropped his head into his hands again, wishing Lizzy would curl around him. The box in the back of his mind rattled and fear gripped his throat. <em>Why did she have to fall in love with Loki? I felt safe with her.</em> He sighed. <em>But she wouldn't be happy taking care of me. I'm just a burden... and a danger. It's better this way.</em></p><p>“Again, that was the U.S., not SHIELD. No one participates blind in our programs. Not under Director Carter's watch and not under my watch. Coulson was a willing participant.”</p><p>“So he is a super soldier.” Michael sat back, shaking his head.</p><p>“In a manner of speaking, yes,” Fury said. “He underwent an attempt at the serum. It was an incomplete success. He gained additional strength, agility, and stamina in all areas – mental and physical. It has also elongated his life, but it wasn't to the level of Captain Rogers, therefore it was not a success.” He gave a bitter laugh. “You all want to blame me. That shit was before I was even a part of SHIELD. I just knew about it.”</p><p>“It wasn't in his file,” Lizzy said.</p><p>“And how exactly would you know?” Fury quirked a brow.</p><p>She shrugged. “We snuck into the secure files and read up on everybody years ago.”</p><p>“Well that explains a lot,” Natasha said, eyeing them.</p><p>“And no, it is not in the files,” Fury said. “He wanted to keep it off the record.”</p><p>“That explains why he always had that air of knowing more than everyone,” Clint said.</p><p>“No,” Fury chuckled, “he just always knew more than everyone.”</p><p>Clint's expression remained stoic. “Funny.”</p><p>“Why don't you know where he is, Nick?” Tony said. “Why isn't it in the files?”</p><p>“And how is he alive?” Bruce asked, giving himself a shake and sitting up straight. “Is it just because of the serum?”</p><p>“Not entirely,” Fury said. “It's partly the serum. He was all but dead when the paramedics called it. Numerous surgeries and an experimental medication that encourages the growth of new cells later, he was on the road to recovery, but it was months before I was sure he would live. SHIELD moved him without my permission or knowledge. I was going to tell all of you he was alive when they took him. Given I didn't know what they were up to, I didn't want to tell you and then have him killed all over again.”</p><p>“Well, they're sure as hell not going to get the chance now,” Natasha said. “We're going after him.” She looked at Clint, who nodded.</p><p>“We're not leaving Coulson there, either,” Lizzy said. “He's like our dad.”</p><p>“Or mom,” Michael said, rubbing at his eyes. “Depending on the day.”</p><p>“Either way, we're saving him,” Arriana said.</p><p>Steve looked over at her, but pressed his lips shut. After a moment, he said, “We still haven't decided about Loki. We need to take this one thing at a time before we rush headlong into an ambush.”</p><p>“Fine,” Tony cut in. “All for letting Loki off given the circumstances, say aye.”</p><p>“Hang on, Stark,” Steve said.</p><p>“I propose probation,” Clint sighed. “We can't kill him because of the Triplets, and we can't be sure he's actually good. So let's keep an annoyingly close watch on him.”</p><p>“I'm good with that,” Natasha said.</p><p>Tony shrugged. “Close enough.” He looked around at the others. “Bruce? Thor? Cap?”</p><p>“Are you certain you can watch him closely enough?” Thor asked. “He is the god of lies and mischief. He is not to be trusted.”</p><p>“Just because you fall for the same trick a million times doesn't mean he can't be trusted.” Lizzy rolled her eyes. “Just that you don't learn.”</p><p>“Doesn't matter,” Natasha said. “We can handle it.”</p><p>“We helped raise them,” Clint said, nodding at the triplets. “We'll be fine.”</p><p>The Triplets grinned.</p><p>“We were a problem,” Michael said.</p><p>“I don't know, I think the Great Vending Machine Heist was a useful tool that exposed numerous security risks,” Arriana said. “We were just helping.”</p><p>“Yeah, and if not for our paintball battle idea, you would basically have a bunch of Storm Troopers,” Lizzy added. “You really should be thanking us.”</p><p>“Don't tempt me,” Natasha said, leaning forward to look her dead in the eyes.</p><p>Lizzy gave a giggle, wincing slightly, and doing her best innocent face. “Please don't shoot me.”</p><p>“I make no promises.”</p><p>“Fair enough.” She winced again.</p><p>“Come on, we're burning daylight, here,” Tony said. “Every minute we bicker about Loki is another Coulson is in SHIELD's hands.”</p><p>Pepper looked up at him, but said nothing, smiling to herself and leaning into him.</p><p>“What documentation do we have on the compound where he's being held?” Natasha asked.</p><p>“Not much,” Tony said. “I didn't want to probe too deep into their ultra-secure files and risk tipping them off that we know. So we're a little blind here.”</p><p>“Director, what <em>do</em> you know?” Clint asked.</p><p>“I don't know for sure where he is, but I have a few guesses. As the director, they couldn't hide much from me as I have access to everything, and anything I didn't have access to was suspect to me. And you aren't the only hacker, Stark.”</p><p>Tony grinned. “It's cute that you want to be like me, Nick.”</p><p>Fury rolled his eye. He picked up his gun from the coffee table and snapped open a small compartment in the butt. He held up a small chip. “This is everything they didn't want me to see.”</p><p>“Ooh, gimme gimme,” Tony said.</p><p>Fury flicked it across the room to him. “There are four compounds around the world that were way off the record. I've been suspicious of the Council for some time.”</p><p>Tony popped open a small slot on his phone and slid the chip into place. “Download everything and categorize it, Jarvis.”</p><p>“Yes, sir,” Jarvis said. “Two minutes to completion.”</p><p>“How long have you been suspicious?” Michael asked.</p><p>“Since you three. They jumped too quickly to killing children. Director Carter never would have allowed that, and they never would have tried it under her watch.”</p><p>“Peggy was director before you?” Steve asked.</p><p>Fury nodded. “She, Howard Stark, and Colonel Phillips founded SHIELD in 1946. She's the one who gave it the name.” He pinned Steve with a significant gaze and sipped his coffee. “Someone clearly wanted the name to spell 'shield'.”</p><p>Steve swallowed thickly and looked away.</p><p>There was a sharp snap, and Fury's coffee mug crashed to the floor.</p><p>“Shit,” he hissed, shaking his hand. He glanced up at the Triplets as he retrieved the broken pieces from the floor. “Knock it off, you three.”</p><p>Lizzy and Michael both opened their mouths to say they hadn't done it.</p><p><em>Shh...</em> Arriana hissed in their heads. <em>That was me, but I don't want Steve to feel bad.</em></p><p><em>Gotcha,</em> they said, changing to pleased expressions to fit the crime.</p><p>Pepper frowned as she poured Fury another mug of coffee. “I didn't know killing them had ever been an issue.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Fury nodded. “That was their original plan and it took no small amount of convincing to make them change their minds. In the end I had to essentially barter their freedom to keep them alive.”</p><p>“What do you mean?” Bruce couldn't help his eyes from drifting to Lizzy. The month he'd spent with her was the first time he'd felt alive since Betty, or maybe since the day he was unfortunately born, and he wanted that life back again.</p><p>“I had to convince the Council that if we trained them instead of killing them, they would become highly skilled and useful agents.”</p><p>Bruce gave a harsh laugh. “So kill or be killed, huh? Sweet of you.”</p><p>“They were forced to become assassins?” Steve said, sitting forward.</p><p>“Hold your ponies of righteousness, Captain,” Fury said. “I gave the Triplets the choice. The Council just doesn't know that. Since they decided to pursue becoming agents, I never needed to tell the Council I gave them the option to decline.”</p><p>“What would you have done if they had said no?” Bruce said.</p><p>“Figured that out if I needed to.”</p><p>“You didn't have a plan?” Steve asked.</p><p>“My best option was to fake their deaths, give them new identities, and tell them to stay off the radar.”</p><p>“That wouldn't have worked,” Tony said. “Not around me.”</p><p>“That was the problem,” Fury said. “They would've been fine except they attach to every single goddamn person they're around.” He glared around at Natasha, Clint, Pepper, and Tony. “So I was glad, to say the least, when they decided to become agents.”</p><p>“So you've been making plans for a long time,” Clint said.</p><p>“Yes, I have.”</p><p>“Download complete, sir,” Jarvis announced.</p><p>“Thank you, J.” Tony flicked a screen up in front of him. “Alright, let's see some location options...” He swept and brushed information in and out of view as he searched for what he wanted. “There we are.” Like dealing cards, he tossed holographic screens out around the central view of Stark Tower that still monitored all activity around them. “Are these the four options you were looking at?”</p><p>“Yep. This first one is an Antarctic compound. It's posing as a scientific research center. As far as I could tell they're researching dangerous bacteria there. I thought it was to combat a potential fatal outbreak, but now that I have evidence of Hydra's infiltration, I think they're working on creating one.”</p><p>“Unlikely target,” Clint said. “Too obvious.”</p><p>Natasha nodded. “Agreed. The difficult location would be assumed to make it more secure and therefore an obvious place to keep a hidden target.”</p><p>“Right,” Fury flicked that screen away. “This compound is a little hard to pin down. It's located in the Amazon region, where the borders of Brazil, Peru, and Columbia come together. It's posing as a rainforest conservation and research center. My best guess is it's used to help funnel drugs out of South America for distribution.”</p><p>“Likely,” Tony said. “The location allows them to go unnoticed via water and air. And with the use of SHIELD as a literal shield...” He shrugged. “Explains the lack of funding problems.”</p><p>Fury narrowed his eye at him, silent for a moment.</p><p>Natasha shook her head. “Not an ideal location for a hidden target. Too easy to penetrate. The jungle gives an attacker too much cover.” She flicked the screen away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The mission is planned.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“The last two are both fairly likely,” Fury said, turning back to their discussion. “This one's located in the Kirensky District of Siberia. Entry coordinates 56.994121, 110.157577.”</p><p>Clint expanded the screen. “Do we know the size of the compound?”</p><p>“Around 5 square miles. It's a smaller compound to ensure secrecy.”</p><p>“Cover?” Natasha sat forward, her eyes gliding over the map.</p><p>Fury shrugged. “None. No record of what's done there even in the hidden files.”</p><p>“So that's a good option.”</p><p>“What's the last one?” Lizzy asked, slowly turning the last screen.</p><p>“It's a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean, part of French Polynesia based on what little data there is. Roughly 170 miles east-northeast of Tahiti,” Fury said. “This compound is so well hidden, you can't even find it on any map in the world.”</p><p>“We'll see about that,” Tony said. He slid his hand across the top of the end table. A holographic keyboard spread across the glass. “Google Maps has nothing on my tech.”</p><p>Fury gave a harsh laugh. “You think I use Google, Stark?”</p><p>Tony lifted a brow. “I never know. Some of your tech is so old – pre-2010.” He gave an exaggerated shiver. “I almost had to look up how to run one of the programs. It scared me for a second.”</p><p>“You sure that was because it was old?”</p><p>Tony snorted. “Yes, I'm sure. I found a similar program in my archive files from when I created it in '94.”</p><p>Fury rolled his eye again. “Why don't you shut that eternal bitch-hole you call a mouth and get to work finding the island.”</p><p>“Some of us can work and talk at the same time.” He smirked, but fell silent. “Oh, this is clever. I like it.”</p><p>“What do you have?” Lizzy asked.</p><p>“If my guess is right – and it usually is – they have signal deflectors all across the island.” Tony flicked a map into the air in front of him. “You can see where my tech picked up a blip, but it looks like there's nothing there.” He spread his hands over the map. “If you look closer, though, you can see the ocean looks blurry – because as always, their tech sucks.”</p><p>“Can we use that for some basic coordinates?” Natasha asked. “If it can get us there, we can work recon and stage a quick strike.”</p><p>“Oh, don't make me laugh,” Tony said with a sharp snort. “If we use the blurring as a framework and merge that with data from surrounding islands...” He tapped away on the keyboard as the map changed, blurring and refocusing every second. “And let's throw in a quick search of archived maps of the region, going back as far as possible...” Green and brown burst to life across the deep blue expanse. Pixels focused and split with every blink, bringing an island into being. “There we go.”</p><p>“Alright, I'll give you that one, Stark,” Clint said. “That was pretty impressive.”</p><p>“Aw, how sweet of you.” Tony gave him a wink, only making Clint roll his eyes. “Coordinates are -16.724026, -146.279658. My archive search pulled up a historical map showing an island in that area from the ship log of the San Pedro Y San Pablo.” He squinted at the screen. “Captained by the Portuguese explorer Pedro Fernandes de Quierós in 1606. He called it Ilha do Sopro da Morte – Death's Breath Island. According to the description in the ship's log... roughly translated, the island smelled of death.” Tony snorted. “There's a note in the margins that looks like someone else noted 'or flatulence'. Looks like there were sulfur deposits on the island, probably volcanic sulfur.”</p><p>“Don't care,” Clint said, “get to the pertinent information, like terrain.”</p><p>“That affects the terrain,” Tony said. “Jarvis, give me that log from those cargo ships.”</p><p>“Yes, sir,” Jarvis said. “I have compiled the data from all cargo ships that serviced the area from 1908 through 1964 when mining in the area ceased. Numerous ships' logs appear to have an unnamed port where they picked up sulfur.”</p><p>“Isolate the data from the unnamed sulfur port.” Tony shook his head. “I'm disappointed. I thought they'd make it a little harder to find.”</p><p>“They banked on no one knowing they needed to find it,” Fury said.</p><p>“Still. It's pathetic.” Tony flicked through the scrolling data that appeared on the screen in front of him. “Jarvis, use all the available data to double-check coordinates.”</p><p>“Triangulating coordinates, sir.” The holographic map in front of them shifted back and forth a few times, until Jarvis said, “Coordinates are confirmed. Would you like me to compile all descriptions available from ship logs?”</p><p>“Do it.” Tony wandered over to the bar and refilled his glass, his eyes never leaving the screen. “Anybody want anything?”</p><p>Lizzy raised her glass. “Oh god, yes, Tony.”</p><p>Michael and Arriana lifted their glasses as well.</p><p>“You two want your usual?” he asked.</p><p>“Scotch,” they said in unison.</p><p>Tony lifted a brow. “You sure?”</p><p>They nodded. Leaving their glasses floating in the air, they rubbed their temples.</p><p>With a soft chuckle, he filled their glasses. “Anyone else?” He refilled Clint and Natasha's glasses on the way back to the bar. “Give it to me as soon as you've got it, J.”</p><p>“Thirty seconds to completion, sir.” The room was silent except for the clinking of ice in glasses as they waited. “Data complete. Descriptive factors assimilating with map structure now.”</p><p>The blues, greens, and browns blurred and focused again until two thick crescents merged around a lagoon.</p><p>Tony hopped up on the back of the couch again. “Okay, what do we got here?” He perused the map for a moment. “Looks like the southwestern half of the island is the best bet for the compound.”</p><p>“Agreed,” Clint said. “There's at least five square miles here.”</p><p>“You said the sulfur was significant, Stark,” Steve said. “Why?”</p><p>“Because sulfur mining during the time was just guys digging holes and pulling the minerals out. There are likely huge pits hidden under the jungle foliage,” Tony said. “They're deadly.”</p><p>“Making this a prime target,” Natasha said.</p><p>“Yup.” Tony flicked the Siberian compound map out of the air and spun the island map. “Looks like we have our location.”</p><p>“How reliable is that map?” Steve asked. “I mean, we don't want to give ourselves away by getting turned around.”</p><p>“We'll be fine,” Lizzy said.</p><p>Bruce's head snapped up. He swallowed thickly as he watched Lizzy, his mouth and throat gone dry. Her eyes glowed eagerly as she looked over the crude map, licking her lips for the taste of adventure. The Achilles heel of loving her. She loved the thrill of the mission and her hunger for adventure gave him life, but also terror as it meant she threw herself into deadly situations regularly. <em>Why? Why don't you value your life more?</em> He tried to stifle his sigh. <em>You're everything to me.</em></p><p>“We've gone in far more blind than this,” Arriana said. She leaned forward. “They've likely centered the compound on the lagoon. It would give them easy access by water and the natural geography would give them a small airstrip about here.”</p><p>Michael nodded. “What's our best approach? Air?”</p><p>Clint and Natasha slid closer to the map.</p><p>“You three aren't going by yourselves,” Clint said.</p><p>“We'll be fine,” Lizzy said again. “We've been on worse missions.”</p><p>“We know, but we need to be certain of complete success,” Natasha said. “Unobserved and safe target removal.”</p><p>“It's probably wise to blast the whole compound as we leave,” Clint rubbed his eyes. “Otherwise it won't be long before someone radios that the target is missing.”</p><p>Natasha nodded. “We need time to get back to the tower, and it's a long flight.”</p><p>“Is a Stark jet or a Quinjet faster?” Michael asked.</p><p>“Speed isn't necessarily the focus,” Tony said. “We'll have you take an unmarked Stark jet to Tahiti.” He expanded the map and flagged the larger island. “From there you can take the next leg by boat.”</p><p>“We'll need scuba gear to get close to the island,” Natasha said. “Is this the only entrance into the lagoon?” She pointed to the small break in the island's northern side.</p><p>“Looks like it. Which means you can't approach from the lagoon.”</p><p>“Hang on,” Steve said. “We're a team. We need to work as a team.”</p><p>“You're not going, Spangles,” Tony said. “We already know you're about as stealthy as a golden retriever with a squeaky toy.”</p><p>“And you think you're an expert in stealth, Stark?”</p><p>Tony gave a harsh laugh. “Are you kidding me? Even I don't think I should go on this mission. Besides, I'm more use staying to monitor tech. And my suit's about as unstealthy as it gets.”</p><p>The Triplets snorted.</p><p>“Yeah, between the red and gold,” Lizzy said.</p><p>“And the thunk-thunk-thunk of your metal boots walking around,” Arriana said with a giggle.</p><p>“You're about as stealthy as a T-Rex,” Michael said.</p><p>“Exactly,” Tony said with a grin. “I'm more of a swoop in and save the day kind of guy. I don't sneak.”</p><p>“I've done recon missions before,” Steve said, his voice rising a notch.</p><p>“Not since 1944, you haven't.”</p><p>Tossing a glare at Tony, he ignored the comment and turned to look at Arriana. “I'm a master tactician. We need everyone on this.”</p><p>“I volunteer to stay,” Bruce said, rubbing his forehead. “I'll keep the coffee warm.”</p><p>Tony laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. “Good man.”</p><p>Thor opened his mouth, but they all said, “No!”</p><p>He frowned. “I am a part of this team.”</p><p>“Look,” Arriana finally said, heaving a sigh. “Yes, we're all a team, but we need to send our best stealth mission team for this. Thor, stealth isn't your style. You're more like Tony. A big entrance to make your presence known and control the situation. That's useful in the right circumstances.” She turned to look directly at Steve. “I know you're a master tactician, and your input would be greatly appreciated, but we haven't worked with you before.”</p><p>“We worked together for the New York battle,” Steve said. “We all blend well.”</p><p>“This is a different style of mission,” Lizzy said. “No offense, Cap, but we aren't familiar with working with you.”</p><p>“You're not saying a word about Barton and Romanoff going.”</p><p>The Triplets looked between each other and then back at Steve.</p><p>“They trained us,” Michael said.</p><p>“Not to mention they are literally the best,” Lizzy said.</p><p>“Look, Steve,” Arriana lowered her voice to the gentle velvet he loved so much, “we know you want to help, but we don't have much data. We need to work seamlessly with each other. The three of us literally share a brain, and Clint and Tasha trained us. We've worked with them on numerous missions. We're all familiar with how each other moves and what we're likely to do. It's safer for all of us if we keep it to a small team who are familiar with each other.”</p><p>“I'll keep them safe,” Loki said.</p><p>Lizzy turned to him. “You're not going either.”</p><p>“I most certainly am.” He looked between them. “I can make myself invisible, I can teleport myself behind attackers, I can use projections of myself to confuse and distract, and my magic can put up impenetrable shields in front of myself and others. I'm going.”</p><p>“No, you're not,” Michael said. “For the same reason we can't have Steve going. We're not familiar with fighting with you.”</p><p>“We share minds.”</p><p>“It's not the same. We need to work from muscle memory. We can't be talking about every move,” Arriana said.</p><p>“Not to mention if a SHIELD agent did see you,” Michael pointed out, “they'd radio back in a second and all our cover is blown.”</p><p>“But...” He looked between them. “But... no... I...” He dragged in a breath. “I can't lose you.”</p><p>They curled around him.</p><p>“We'll be okay, Loki,” Lizzy said. “I promise.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Michael brushed Loki's hair back. “We're the second best team of spies and assassins.”</p><p>“And we're going with <em>the</em> best team,” Arriana said.</p><p>They looked over at Tony, who shrugged. “I'm used to worrying about you going on missions. You're going to have to soothe the new worrywarts on your own.”</p><p>“We really will be okay,” Arriana said, looking around at all the worried faces. “We've been doing this for six years, and that's not counting the six years of training we had before that. More than any of the other agents.”</p><p>“But I don't care about the other agents,” Loki said. “I care about you.”</p><p>“I know, sweetie, but we can't just leave Coulson there.” She looked up at him, silently pleading. “We just can't.”</p><p>He heaved a sigh. “Alright. I'll stay behind, but you promise me you'll come back to me. Safe and whole.”</p><p>Their brows pinched for a moment and then they forced smiles.</p><p>“Of course we promise,” Michael said.</p><p>Loki gave a harsh laugh. “I appreciate the attempt.” He sighed again. “I know you can't promise that, but please try. Be safe.”</p><p>“We will.”</p><p>Bruce and Steve kept their heads down, not wanting to watch the women they loved cuddle up to the one person they never wanted to see them with. The fact that he so gently loved and cherished them was a small amount of comfort. They just wished it could've been them instead.</p><p>Glancing at the two tortured men, Tony cut in, “Let's see... French Polynesia is five hours behind New York. Which means there's no way for you to leave and come back in the dark without time delays in between. I hate to do that. It leaves you wide open.”</p><p>“I don't want any delays planned for the flight back,” Clint said. “We need to plan on moving straight from retrieval to return immediately.”</p><p>“Agreed,” Natasha said. “I'd rather arrive back in broad daylight than risk a delay.”</p><p>“You might have to,” Tony said. “Jarvis, give me a clock.” An Iron Man themed clock appeared in the air next to him.</p><p>“Really, Stark?” Steve asked.</p><p>“Bite me, I'm awesome.”</p><p>The Triplets snorted, but managed to suppress further laughter.</p><p>“Set hands at New York time and French Polynesia time, Jarvis,” Tony said, ignoring the look Steve was giving him. “Alright, it's currently just after 4 am here.”</p><p>“What's the flight time?” Clint asked.</p><p>“Jarvis, calculate with Stark jet speeds. Flying casual. No stops. Use the auxiliary fuel tank.”</p><p>“The flight time is 8 hours and 57 minutes, sir,” Jarvis said. “The return flight would be the same, assuming the same flight speed.”</p><p>“Nine hours from take-off, then,” Natasha said.</p><p>“Jarvis calculates with take-off,” Tony said, slightly affronted. “It's nine hours from when you pull up next to the plane.”</p><p>“Okay, fine,” she said, rolling her eyes. “We want to arrive in the evening, when a usual tourist flight would land. Say eighteen hundred hours. We need to take off by fourteen hundred hours.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Mission planning continues.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clint pushed out the map. “Where are we likely to get a boat that won't be missed?”</p><p>“Any boat is going to be missed,” Lizzy said. “What we want is someone who doesn't have the power to get help.”</p><p>“No,” Steve said, “you can't steal a poor person's boat. They need it.”</p><p>“We'll give them money,” Tony said with a wave of his hand. “They can get a brand new boat on me.”</p><p>“Yeah, I'd say we're just borrowing,” Arriana said, “but we'll need to sink it to avoid suspicion.”</p><p>Natasha nodded. “Looks like there should be some solo fishermen in this bay. We can take whatever looks fast.”</p><p>“It'll be hard to calculate time to the island,” Clint said, “but I'd guess we're looking at an hour and a half to two hours.”</p><p>“We'll need climbing gear with us,” Michael said. “It looks like the elevation on this side of the island is pretty steep.”</p><p>Clint nodded. “We'll split up once we reach level ground.”</p><p>“This is where Stark's right about the history of the island,” Natasha said. “We'll have to move fairly slow through the jungle or we'll end up in a hole.”</p><p>“Uh-uh,” Tony said mid-drink. He drained his glass with a sigh and took the mug of coffee Pepper shoved into his hand. “I have tech that will help.”</p><p>“Night-vision goggles won't let us see through the underbrush,” Clint said.</p><p>“Oh, you insult me. Night-vision goggles, pfft.” He took a swig of coffee. “Aw, you didn't even put scotch in it.” He chuckled to himself as Pepper pinned him with a glare and then turned back to the discussion. “My goggles can see through various settings of organic matter. So... plants and shit. It'll show you the rock formations beneath.”</p><p>“We've used them before,” Lizzy said. “They're fantastic. Though you have to remember to glance under the goggles so you don't trip on the organic matter.”</p><p>“I've actually improved them since then,” Tony said. “I fixed that glitch, so now the organic matter shows in green and the non-organic shows in red.”</p><p>“What if someone was red-green colorblind?” Bruce asked.</p><p>“I can toggle to any color combo.”</p><p>“Not the time for theoretical,” Steve said. “We're discussing sending five of our team into imminent danger. We need to keep discussion to practical application only.”</p><p>“You don't know that it's not a practical question, Captain Killjoy,” Tony said. “One of them could be red-green colorblind.”</p><p>“Are they?”</p><p>“No, but that's not the point. The point is you're ruining my fun.”</p><p>“The point is you're going to get someone killed, Stark.”</p><p>Tony visibly stiffened. “I'm sorry, I must have missed the memo when someone made you God. I'm at least adding to the discussion and not moping over not getting to go to the party.”</p><p>“I'm not moping. I'm listening.”</p><p>“Could've fooled me.”</p><p>“Holy shit,” Fury growled. “Both of you shut your motherfucking mouths.” He rubbed his temples and heaved a sigh, muttering, “Three damn twelve-year-olds on my base didn't bicker this much and now I got two grown men bickering like children. What the fuck did I sign up for?”</p><p>“The fighting is getting distracting,” Natasha said. “Either shut up and play nice or at least one of you needs to get out of here.”</p><p>Steve's jaw flexed and he started to get up, but a quick glance at Arriana halted him. Her wide eyes watched him intently. He swallowed thickly. “Sorry. You're right.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Natasha said. “Now, Stark, sober up and focus. Does your tech work well enough for us to move quickly without risking falling in one of the mining holes?”</p><p>“Oh, yeah. You won't be able to move as fast in the underbrush as my tech can process what you're seeing. You'll be fine.”</p><p>“Oh, goody,” she said in a deadpan. “Do we know how high the cliffs are?”</p><p>“Jarvis, give me topography overlay.”</p><p>The map changed from realistic green and brown to multicolored concentric circles.</p><p>“Based on the data we have, it looks like the tallest cliffs are over 250 feet.”</p><p>“We don't need to worry about the tallest, though,” Michael said. “What's the lowest point on the cliffs?”</p><p>“Looks like just under 150 feet.”</p><p>“So we're looking at about a six minute climb,” Lizzy said. “Give or take a minute or two.”</p><p>“Are we sure you can't go through the lagoon?” Steve asked. “I mean, if you're under the water's surface, they won't be able to see you in the dark.”</p><p>“They'll have infrared scanners on the water,” Clint said. “It's basic protocol. Because of the cliffs they likely didn't put them on that side, thinking they're safe.”</p><p>Lizzy and Michael looked at Arriana.</p><p><em>He's a master strategist,</em> Lizzy said in their minds. <em>Why would he even suggest that? The cliff is the obvious best route.</em></p><p><em>I don't know,</em> Arriana said. <em>All I'm feeling is nervousness. You'd have to read his mind to know...</em> She halted. <em>Oh.</em></p><p><em>Oh, what?</em> Michael asked.</p><p>
  <em>His last mission. He lost his best friend over the cliffs.</em>
</p><p><em>Ooh.</em> Lizzy winced. <em>That explains a lot, but we still have to do it. I mean, it would be suicide to go by the lagoon.</em></p><p>Arriana fought a sigh. <em>He'll have to get over it. Or at least keep it to himself. We don't have time for therapy.</em></p><p>“You three with us?” Natasha asked.</p><p>“Oh, sorry.” Lizzy shook her head. “Internal discussion.”</p><p>“Focus, please.”</p><p>“Yes, ma'am,” they all said.</p><p>They glanced over the list of times that Jarvis was putting up next to the clock.</p><p>“Is there any way to know when they change guard on the compound?” Michael asked.</p><p>Clint shook his head. “No, you know that even on our low clearance bases the times vary day to day. So in a high security base the guards likely don't even know when their shift ends.”</p><p>“True. So we won't be able to use the infiltrate-as-one-of-them method.”</p><p>“No,” Natasha said. “We're going to have to be shadows.”</p><p>“I can make that happen,” Tony said. His eyes were clearing as they talked, his hyper brain overcoming the alcohol. “We'll need one team to get to their systems control room. I'll need you to attach a feed clamp to the main camera wires and another on the electrical panel. Once you do that, I'll be able to see everything they see. I can wait for hallways to be empty or whatever normal looks like and create video loops to insert as you move through the compound. Obviously that won't help you with people physically seeing you, but that'll stop them from using their surveillance.”</p><p>“We'll take what we can get,” Clint said. “Now, some of our planning will have to be on the ground since we don't have as much recon as we normally would want.”</p><p>“At least we have the layout,” Arriana said. “That's more than usual. We just don't know where their cameras are located.”</p><p>“Or if they have sound monitoring,” Lizzy said. “Especially in the target's direct holding area.”</p><p>“I'm sure they will,” Natasha said. “Given that the likely reasons for holding the target stem from either attempting to control the his mind or performing tests on the target. Either way, they'll want to know if the target says anything.”</p><p>“So that means Lizzy, Michael, and I should retrieve the target,” Arriana said. “We'll be able to communicate silently.”</p><p>“Right,” Clint said. “Romanoff and I will infiltrate the control room and then move around the compound setting charges to bring it down.”</p><p>“You'll need more than charges,” Tony said. “You don't want to leave anyone alive. I'll modify a few of my Pulse detonators to work remotely.”</p><p>“You'll give us the trigger,” Natasha said.</p><p>“I can set them off from here.”</p><p>“I assumed, but you'll give it to us anyway.”</p><p>Tony frowned and looked at the Triplets.</p><p>Lizzy shrugged. “She doesn't want you to hesitate setting it off because you think we're too close.”</p><p>“Oh, silly me, not wanting any of you to get hurt,” Tony said with a roll of his eyes.</p><p>“That's part of the job, Stark,” Clint said. “No, we don't want any of us to get hurt, but sometimes you have to make that call for the overall mission.”</p><p>“You're too soft for that,” Natasha said.</p><p>“I'll take that as a compliment.” Tony glared at her. “I'll modify the Pulse detonators and <em>give you the control</em>.” He waited for her to look at him and rolled his eyes.</p><p>“I am, as always, astounded by your maturity.” Turning back to the map, she traced the exterior of the largest building. “The control room is likely on the edge of this building, so, penetrable. The question is where is the target being held.”</p><p>“Well, we could see the beach from the clip of him,” Steve said.</p><p>Clint shook his head. “Can't assume it's an exterior room. That could be simulated.”</p><p>“They can simulate an open air patio on the beach?” Steve looked between them and the triplets.</p><p>“That's child's play,” Tony said. He snapped his fingers. “Put us on the beach, Jarvis.”</p><p>The lights slowly dimmed and the view of New York outside the windows faded, replaced by a beautiful tropical beach. A gust of warm sea air ruffled their hair, bringing with it the gentle rumble of the surf. Birdsong and the sound of rustling leaves drifted on the moist, warm air around them.</p><p>“See?” Tony said. “It's not hard. Back to neutral, Jarvis.”</p><p>In a flicker the New York skyline was back, the temperature returned to normal, and the room sounded empty without the crash of the ocean waves.</p><p>Steve shook himself. “Alright, so, how do we know where Coulson is without just wandering the corridors looking for him?”</p><p>“The layout will tell us a lot,” Arriana said. “Beyond that, we'll sound him out.”</p><p>He frowned. “What do you mean 'sound him out'?”</p><p>She looked up at him, her brow pinched slightly. “We'll use our powers. We can use thoughts, feelings, and what others see to locate what we're looking for. In this case, our target.”</p><p>“You mean Coulson.”</p><p>She managed a half smile. “Using the term 'target' helps avoid getting emotionally involved. Emotion is the enemy of a mission. It clouds thought and judgment.”</p><p>“Doesn't that hamper your powers?”</p><p>“Now who's getting sidetracked,” Tony muttered.</p><p>Steve shot him a glare, but otherwise ignored what he'd said.</p><p>“No,” Arriana said. “It allows me to use my powers to great effect because they're not being clouded by my own emotions.”</p><p>“Be assured, Captain Rogers,” Fury said, fixing him with a firm stare, “that my agents have been adequately trained to utilize all their talents.”</p><p>“Tony, how fast can you set the video loops?” Michael asked. “If you need to wait for video to collect we need to be aware of that as we're trying to move through the compound.”</p><p>“For most hallways and rooms, I can have Jarvis search previous audio and video feeds to build loops.”</p><p>“Will that look suspicious?” Lizzy asked. “I know your tech is good, but most SHIELD footage has date and time stamped on it.”</p><p>“I can modify my program while you're in the air. Jarvis will allow the current date and time to run over the old footage. And I'll look for spots that don't have much audio so there isn't anything telling.”</p><p>“How long will you need to do that, Stark?” Clint asked. “We'll stagger entrance. Romanoff and I will go in before the Triplets. We'll set the feeds and then leave time for you to work on video loops.”</p><p>“Ten minutes would be nice,” Tony said. “I could do it in less, but that risks things getting past me.”</p><p>“Okay,” Natasha said, “so once Stark has set the video feeds, Triplets, you'll head in, making your way to the south entrance, here.” She pointed to the marked service entrance at the back of the building.</p><p>“So where do we think the target's being held?” Arriana asked.</p><p>“Likely a central area,” Clint said. “Somewhere easy to protect.”</p><p>“I'm not sure you should be thinking about penetrability,” Steve said. “I mean, they banked so heavily on no one knowing to even look for the island.” He turned to Fury. “How well known is Coulson in SHIELD?”</p><p>“He's my second in command,” Fury said with a shrug. “They know that.”</p><p>“What don't they know?” Lizzy asked.</p><p>“They don't know he's part super soldier.” Fury stared out the window for a moment. “So they don't know his real age or his physical capabilities.”</p><p>“But they obviously know he's a talented agent,” Michael said.</p><p>“Right.”</p><p>“I assume his mental acuity increased as well,” Tony said.</p><p>Fury nodded. “I've tested him personally and he rates almost as highly as Rogers for mental acuity. He doesn't learn quite as fast or have quite as photographic a memory, but obviously he has all the usual agent skills which would easily make up for that.”</p><p>“That works in our favor.” Tony expanded the compound layout. “Assuming he was conscious, Coulson would have noted any turns and how many steps between when they brought him in. Lizzy could retrieve it from his mind.”</p><p>“I doubt he was conscious when they brought him in,” Lizzy said. “They know better than to work so simply with Coulson.”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“They know he'd do that,” Arriana said. “He's been trained to do that, for god's sake. As far as he remembers, he probably woke up in that tropical hotel room-like area.”</p><p>“Which would make him suspicious,” Tony said.</p><p>“Right,” Michael said. “But he would conceal his suspicion assuming he was being held by unfriendlies – which he is.”</p><p>“No,” Lizzy said, “we know that we'll have to sound him out, but I want to have a narrowed area to start searching in.”</p><p>“We need to look at areas it would be difficult for him to get out of, though,” Steve said. “Not necessarily areas that are hard for us to get to.”</p><p>“Fair point,” Arriana said. “Let's think like a captive. What presents a challenge to exit past?”</p><p>“Well, guards obviously,” Lizzy said. “And the more doors, the more risk.”</p><p>“Right, doors also slow you down as you try to get through them,” Michael said. “Turns make it more confusing.”</p><p>“Tony, can you give me a top-down line layout?” Arriana said. “I want to check for patterns.”</p><p>“Sure, kiddo.” Tony traced a finger over the top outline of the compound and lifted it off. “Here you go.”</p><p>She tilted it down in front of her, to look at it like a screen, and then perched her chin on her hand and fell into silence.</p><p>“While she's doing that,” Lizzy said, “where do you want to plant the detonators?”</p><p>“Jarvis, analyze the structural weak points of the buildings and the ground as best as you can,” Tony said.</p><p>“Yes, sir. Two minutes to completion.”</p><p>“We need to plan for how you're getting out of there, too,” Steve said. “I don't want to leave that up to a wish and a prayer.”</p><p>“We'll have to fly out,” Clint said.</p><p>Steve paused as he took a drink. “The plane is back on Tahiti.”</p><p>“He meant we'll steal one,” Natasha said. “It would be useful to have another Quinjet on hand, too.”</p><p>“Can they track those, though?”</p><p>“I'll give you a J-chip,” Tony said. “It'll wipe their command system and allow Jarvis to take over on the Quinjet. I'll give you an extra one, so when you get to the hangar where the Quinjet you came in on is parked, you can put the chip in that one, too. Then they can't use that to track where you went.”</p><p>“Is there space in your hangar for another Quinjet, Tony?” Michael asked.</p><p>He nodded. “The unmarked jet that's in there now will be parked in Tahiti until I need it again. That way even if they track you there, they'll think we're just on vacation. I'll make a reservation at our favorite resort for me and Pepper.”</p><p>“I'll do that,” Pepper said. “It'll be more realistic.”</p><p>“Oh, hey now, I do things for you.”</p><p>“Yes, you had Jarvis plan our last vacation,” she said with a laugh.</p><p>“Yeah, but I told him to, didn't I?”</p><p>Pepper rolled her eyes. “Yes, you did, Tony. I'm impressed with the enormity of your talent.”</p><p>“That wasn't the only talent you were impressed with the enormity of,” he muttered with a wicked grin.</p><p>She smacked his shoulder. “I already knew you were an asshole.”</p><p>“Oooh, ouch.” He grinned and cuddled her against him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Mission planning completed.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Sir, I have the structural analysis,” Jarvis said.</p><p>“Throw it up there,” Tony said as he nuzzled Pepper's neck.</p><p>The map of the compound lit up with red bullseyes. “The indicated points are load-bearing or otherwise stress-bearing,” Jarvis said. “There are a total of 20 weak points.”</p><p>Arriana jerked back to the present. “Do we have the electrical schematics?”</p><p>“I think so,” Tony said. “Why?”</p><p>“That will tell us where the electrical goes back to – where the panel is.”</p><p>“Smart, kiddo,” Clint said, and Arriana sank back into silent contemplation just as suddenly as she come out of it. “Jarvis, can you overlay the electrical layout.”</p><p>“Yes, sir.” The buildings lit up with green lines running this way and that.</p><p>“Everything comes back to this area,” Natasha said, pointing to a small room on the northeastern side of the building. “We either need to stay in the jungle all the way around the edge of the compound, or we need to be prepared to cut through the compound itself. What do you think, Barton?”</p><p>“I think we should stay in the jungle. We need to maintain secrecy for as long as we can. Once we begin the strike we can work with most direct routes, but initially I think we need to take the extra time.”</p><p>She nodded. “Agreed.”</p><p>“There it is,” Arriana blurted out. They all turned to her. “I found it.” She stood and laid the outline over the compound map, a pathway lit up in pink. “Lizzy, Michael, and I need to go in these west-facing doors. That service entrance links to nothing. It's a decoy door.”</p><p>“What?” Clint said as they all leaned in to see what she was pointing to.</p><p>“Look, the doors open into what looks like a garbage bay,” she said, “but the doors that lead out of the garbage bay lead into a dead-end corridor. There's no way in or out.”</p><p>“Why would they have a decoy entrance?” Steve asked.</p><p>“For exactly this kind of strike,” Natasha said. “Most people wouldn't have the layout and they'd see those doors. They'd enter and likely there's a trap of some form or other that would set off, killing them. You go in, but don't come out.” She shook her head. “A spider's trap. That's my technique.”</p><p>“I can sue for trademark infringement,” Tony said with a chuckle.</p><p>“Thanks, but I'll take it up with them personally,” she said.</p><p>“It's these doors that we want,” Arriana said, pointing to the central set of west-facing doors. “It's the entrance to a veritable labyrinth. And this is the kill zone.” She pointed to a four-way intersection of hallways. “If we get spotted by agents down this corridor there's nowhere to hide.”</p><p>“Right.” Lizzy glanced at the surrounding area. “Can we come from another direction and avoid it?”</p><p>“Or go out another direction?” Michael said.</p><p>Arriana shook her head. “The other directions are worse. This is the only path in and out of that area.”</p><p>“Yeah, he must be there. Look, you can see high electrical activity in the walls of this area,” Michael said. “That would allow them to control and simulate the environment.”</p><p>“What if that's a trap?” Steve said. “Like the garbage bay?”</p><p>Arriana shook her head. “No, it's too complicated to get to. They're not that complex with their traps. SHIELD has the bad habit of thinking they have the smartest and best agents, so no one would even think of more complex plans.”</p><p>“They thought they could keep control of you,” Tony said.</p><p>“Or kill us first,” Natasha said. “And they never, in their darkest dreams, thought we'd have the layout to plan our strike.”</p><p>“Time for a waking nightmare, boys and girls,” Lizzy said, rubbing her hands together. “Because you took the one thing you never should have touched.”</p><p>“We've got our timeline, then,” Clint said, looking over the list of times. “If we run it backward, we need to take off at fourteen hundred hours. That gives us a three minute window for any flight delay.”</p><p>“Pepper, let me make the room arrangements,” Natasha said. “I'll pose as your new assistant and book a suite for you and Stark and one for myself. Then I'll check in when we get there. It's not unusual for Stark to not be seen arriving or leaving.”</p><p>“Book it for a month,” Tony said. “That should throw them off the scent initially.”</p><p>“You know they're going to find us eventually,” Bruce said. His temples were red from rubbing and his hair was standing on end from the number of times he'd run his hands through it.</p><p>Loki gripped Lizzy's hands more tightly.</p><p>“Of course they will.” Tony clapped Bruce on the shoulder. “It's not if, it's when. This tower can seal itself completely. No entry or exit points. Not even for air or water.”</p><p>“What about food?” Steve asked. “If we're sealing ourselves in, they can use a war of attrition to smoke us out.”</p><p>Tony shook his head. “I'd like to see them try it. I have enough in storage for a ten-year siege.”</p><p>“That's a lot of booze,” Lizzy said.</p><p>He grinned. “You should see the wine cellar floor. It's stacked to the ceiling.”</p><p>The triplets threw their heads back with laughter.</p><p>“Oh my god,” Michael panted. “I want to see that when we get back.”</p><p>“How can you possibly have that much food in storage?” Steve said.</p><p>“Dried, canned, frozen.” He shrugged. “There's also the greenhouses which will produce on a regular schedule.”</p><p>“What about drones?” Bruce said, his brow pinched as he looked over at Tony.</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>The room looked quizzically back at him.</p><p>“Uh, sorry,” he said, running his hand through his hair again. “Use some sort of drone to fly near the island and scramble their connection to satellites and... anything else. If they detect anything strange, they'll probably report back to whoever they report to.” He shrugged. “And they might come check on the base sooner.”</p><p>A soft, excited squeak issued from the triplets' couch.</p><p>“Good thought,” Tony said, hoping to distract.</p><p>Lizzy gripped Michael and Arriana's hands. <em>He's so smart. It hurts almost as much as a gun shot to the stomach.</em></p><p><em>And you'd know what that's like.</em> Michael winced, looking over her head at Arriana, who shrugged.</p><p><em>Deep breath, honey. There's not much we can do, </em>Arriana said.</p><p><em>Yeah,</em> Michael said. <em>Maybe we can talk to him when we get back.</em></p><p><em>About what? </em>She inwardly moaned.</p><p><em>About being with you,</em> Arriana said.</p><p><em>But I still love Loki,</em> Lizzy whimpered. <em>I can't not be with Loki and Bruce isn't going to go for polyamory.</em></p><p><em>You don't know that,</em> Michael said.</p><p>
  <em>Are you kidding? He's basically a living embodiment of Remus Lupin.</em>
</p><p><em>Remus was a Marauder,</em> Arriana said. <em>You never know what he might be okay with.</em></p><p>Lizzy quirked a brow at her. <em>Somehow I think that's only the stuff of fanfics.</em></p><p>Michael rubbed her back. <em>Well, let's focus on the mission at the moment. Then we'll tackle the question of who is or isn't down for polyamory.</em></p><p><em>If we live.</em> Lizzy dropped her head into her hands.</p><p>“Volchitsa, nikogda ne ver' v neudachu. Eto lzhets v svoyem serdtse,” Natasha said, her piercing steel eyes watching Lizzy. <em>(She-wolf, never believe in failure. This is a liar in his heart.)</em></p><p>Lizzy wrenched herself upright. “Da, mem.”</p><p>“How do you always know?” Michael asked.</p><p>Natasha gave him a wink. “I know everything.”</p><p><em>Are you certain she can't listen to thoughts as well?</em> Loki asked.</p><p><em>Yeah,</em> Lizzy said. <em>We've checked. She's just that good.</em></p><p>Tony gave himself a shake and looked back at Bruce. “That's a good idea. I'll get three drones ready to go, and then while they're in the air, you and I can work on re-coding them to bounce signals.”</p><p>Bruce nodded, unable to meet Lizzy's eyes, not wanting to know if she was thinking badly of him or not.</p><p>“Alright, I think we have our mission laid out,” Clint said. “The five of us need to get some sleep.”</p><p>The Triplets nodded, but made no move to get up.</p><p>“You heard, Agent Barton,” Natasha barked slightly. “To bed. Awake at thirteen hundred hours. You will have forty-five minutes to prepare. Meet back up on the Party Deck at thirteen forty-five on the dot.”</p><p>The triplets leaped to their feet. “Yes, ma'am,” they barked in unison.</p><p>“Dismissed,” Clint said.</p><p>They turned and headed for the elevator. Loki leaped over the back of the couch and jogged the few steps to keep up with them.</p><p>“I hate that that still works on us,” Michael said.</p><p>The girls nodded.</p><p>“I don't think he should go with them,” Steve said. “We can't watch him when he's alone with them.”</p><p>Tony gave a dismissive wave of his hand. “He's not going to hurt them.”</p><p>When Steve started to speak again, Natasha said, “I trust Jarvis can monitor him.”</p><p>Tony nodded. “He monitors everything. Seriously, they'll be fine, Cap.”</p><p>“We should all get some sleep,” Fury said. “We'll need to be up through their mission to monitor things from home base.”</p><p>Natasha and Clint nodded and headed for the elevators, followed swiftly by Thor. Steve stuffed his hands in his pockets and wandered toward the doors, far from wanting to be alone, no less sleep.</p><p>“Tired, big man?” Tony asked, clapping Bruce on the shoulder.</p><p>He shook his head. “I slept on the plane. Director, I need to change the bag to keep getting fluids into you.”</p><p>“Don't you dare try to put me back in that hospital bed. I can be a terrible patient.”</p><p>Bruce managed a wry chuckle. “I have no doubt, Director. And no, I wasn't going to put you back in the hospital bed. You can go down to your guest floor, but I want to put a heart monitor on you first.”</p><p>“Jarvis can monitor without physical contact,” Tony said.</p><p>“Thank god. You finally did something right, Stark,” Fury said, a glint in his eye.</p><p>“Oh, only one, huh?” Tony quirked a sarcastic brow at him and rolled his eyes. Turning to Pepper, he pulled her up and kissed her. “Don't worry about cleaning this up,” he said, “I'll get it.”</p><p>She laughed softly. “You mean you'll have the bots clean it up.”</p><p>“Well, yeah.” He gave her a grin. “But I'll tell them to, so I still get the credit.”</p><p>She shook her head at him, but let him kiss her again.</p><p>“Go get some rest. I've got some work to do.”</p><p>“Are you going to be okay staying up through their mission?” she asked, looking him carefully in the eyes.</p><p>He pressed her fingers to his lips. “You know I will. Now go on.” He turned her and gave her a nudge toward the elevator.</p><p>“Will that be all, Mr. Stark?” She gave him a coy look.</p><p>He groaned softly. “You gotta get Nick settled, right, Bruce?”</p><p>Bruce gave a quiet snort. “Yeah. It'll take me twenty or thirty minutes before I'm ready to start work.”</p><p>“Then that's not all, Ms. Potts.” He jogged after her. “I'll be back in a bit, Bruce.”</p><p>“Take your time.” Bruce heaved a sigh and pulled the wheelchair over for Fury.</p><p>“I'm fine to get up,” he said, “just keep me from getting tangled in all the tubing.”</p><p>Bruce held the IV out of his way as he transferred to the wheelchair.</p><p>“Holy shit, I'm tired,” he sighed.</p><p>“Yeah, blood loss will do that to you.” Bruce pushed him into the elevator. “I'll give you another low dose of pain meds so you can get some rest.”</p><p>“You're a good man, Banner,” Fury chuckled.</p><p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tony attempts one more time to reason with Bruce and Steve.</p>
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    <p>“You look far too pleased with yourself,” Bruce said, looking up from pouring himself a cup of coffee.</p><p>“I'm always pleased with myself,” Tony said with a grin.</p><p>“Yeah, I know, but <em>more</em> than usual.”</p><p>Tony shrugged. “So, we've got to restructure and reprogram my drones. Wanna head down to the lab and give me a hand?”</p><p>“Oh, god, yes.” He drained the cup, poured himself another and followed Tony onto the elevator.</p><p>“You know, Bruce,” Tony perched on the plush bench, “I meant to talk to you before we had the meeting.”</p><p>“About what? And why do I have the feeling I don't want to be having this conversation?” Bruce asked.</p><p>“You always have that feeling.” Tony waived the comment aside. “About Lizzy. She loves Loki.”</p><p>“Saw that.”</p><p>“Yeah, but... she's not...” Tony fumbled for words. “Happy.”</p><p>“Is he forcing her to be with him?” Bruce's brown brows pinched.</p><p>“No, no, no, no, no, no.” Tony rubbed a hand over his face. “She's happy with Loki, but she's not happy...” Bruce stared blankly back at him.</p><p>“I know she has depression, Tony. A man doesn't cure that.” He rolled his eyes. “In fact, it usually makes it worse for women.”</p><p>“No, yeah, I mean...” Tony groaned, rubbing his hands through his hair. “I know she has depression. I mean besides that too. I think she <em>misses</em> you, Bruce.”</p><p>“Well, we still sort of text. I was just busy in India. Preventable epidemics and all. But I'm still her friend.”</p><p>“Yeah, I know, which by the way is kind of a shitty thing to do.”</p><p>“What? Be her friend?” Bruce asked.</p><p>“No, not texting her back. You think I don't know that she's been sending you funny memes and GIFs and you haven't been sending anything back?”</p><p>“I've been busy.”</p><p>“You said that and I ignored it. It doesn't take long to send 'LOL' back. But you're being purposely dense.” The elevator dinged and the doors opened, but Tony leaped up and blocked the door. “You love her. Admit it.”</p><p>“We're friends. That's all.”</p><p>“Holy shit, you too?”</p><p>Bruce frowned. “What do you mean 'me too'?”</p><p>“Steve said the same damn thing about Arriana.”</p><p>“But he's in love with her.”</p><p>Tony nodded, twirling his finger for Bruce to follow his own logic.</p><p>“Drop it, Tony. It doesn't matter.” He tried to step around him.</p><p>“Oh, yes, it does fucking matter.” Tony blocked him again.</p><p>“You know, it's really not the best idea to trap me in an elevator, Tony. I don't want the other guy to come out and kill you.”</p><p>“I'm not afraid of him, and I'm not afraid of you.” He prodded Bruce softly in the chest. “Do you love Lizzy?”</p><p>“Love is a strong word, Tony.”</p><p>“And a strong feeling.” Tony eyed him. “That's what I thought. Look, I can't tell you if she loves you or not, but she deserves to know how you feel. And see how she feels.”</p><p>“I'm pretty sure I know how she feels, Stark. She loves Loki. End of story.”</p><p>“Not end of story. Middle of story.”</p><p>“What do you mean, Tony?”</p><p>“Oh, come on, you're being dumber than me. And that takes some work. What do I mean? The obvious.”</p><p>“You want me to steal her away from him and what? Marry her? I could never be married, Tony. Not with the other guy.”</p><p>“Fine, you don't have to get married. Committed couple. How's that?”</p><p>Bruce stared back at him. “I'm dangerous, Tony.”</p><p>“She loves danger.”</p><p>“Yeah, and I don't really want to have to live god only knows how long knowing I killed the woman I love.”</p><p>“Ha! So you do love her.”</p><p>“Oh my god!” Bruce shoved passed him, breathing deeply as the box in the back of his mind rattled. He spun around. “Yes, okay? I love her, but she's with Loki. I'm not the knight in shining armor, Tony. I'm...” He sighed. “I'm not you.”</p><p>Tony gave a harsh snort. “Knight in shining armor, hardly.”</p><p>“Literally.”</p><p>“Look, you and I both know I'm the furthest thing from a knight in shining armor. I'm no hero. I'm just a narcissist with a guilt complex. I like the attention and it eases my guilt to do what I do.”</p><p>Bruce rolled his eyes. “Tony, she loves Loki. I don't want to mess that up for her. I want her to be happy. Even if it isn't with me. And Loki clearly loves her. I'm not saying we should just give them our blessing. We should watch him for a while, but from what I saw tonight, well...” He heaved another sigh. “She seemed happy enough to me.”</p><p>“Did she? Really?”</p><p>“Well, we're all worried. The people she loves most in the world are in danger. And she has to risk her life to bring Coulson back. She's a little stressed.”</p><p>“Oh my god, men are so dense.” Tony raked his hands through his perfect hair. “Look, I'm going to level with you to a point. Lizzy is happy with Loki, but she's missing something. Arriana feels the same. And what Arriana's missing–”</p><p>“Is obvious to everyone.”</p><p>“Not quite everyone.”</p><p>“Oh, don't tell me.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Tony pressed his lips together, rolling his eyes again. “Steve. He loves her, she loves him – not that I can tell him that – and he won't say anything because she's with Loki.”</p><p>“She loves him <em>and</em> Loki?”</p><p>Tony nodded. “Polyamory, Bruce. Loving more than one person, honestly and wholly. She needs them both. That girl has so much love to give that frankly she needs two people to love, and a whole huge family besides.”</p><p>“I'm assuming you're trying to get across to me that given that one of the Triplets is polyamorous then there is a high likelihood that at least one other is, if not both, and therefore Lizzy could love both me and Loki,” Bruce said in his best scientific deadpan.</p><p>Tony looked around for a moment. “Yes. That is exactly what I'm saying.” He held up his hand. “Look, Bruce, I've known these three since they were 14. I know them. And you're my friend. I wouldn't knowingly suggest you cause yourself more pain. But just think about it. What if she needs you both? You know, she's heading out to one of the most dangerous missions she's ever done. I don't want to admit it to myself but there is a chance they don't come back.” Tony's voice caught. “I don't want her distracted by feeling lonely for anything or anyone as she faces that.”</p><p>Bruce looked away, blinking furiously.</p><p>“Just think about it, Bruce,” Tony said again.</p><p>“I will.” Bruce cleared his throat.</p><p>“Good. Now let's get to those drones. We don't have that long to retool them and get them reprogrammed.”</p><p>
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</p><p>Steve stared up at the ceiling of his over-lavish bedroom. He had to admit the sheets were the softest he'd ever felt and the bed couldn't have been more comfortable, but for all that he couldn't sleep. Rolling over for the twentieth time in the last hour, he heard a soft <em>bing</em> somewhere overheard.</p><p>“Captain Rogers, may I interrupt your attempts at sleep?” Jarvis asked.</p><p>“Yes, please. What's going on? Is everything alright?”</p><p>“Yes, sir. Mr. Stark would like to talk with you. He wishes me to ask you if you want to come out or would you prefer a little pillow talk?”</p><p>“I'll be out in a second, Jarvis.” Steve rolled his eyes as he threw back the covers and climbed out of bed. His clothes lay neatly folded at the foot of the bed and he pulled them on as he headed for the door. “What do you want, Stark?”</p><p>“Ooh, you definitely woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” Tony turned and headed for the living room, opening the mini-bar and pouring himself a scotch.</p><p>Steve ran his hand through his hair. “I didn't get any sleep.”</p><p>“Well, you obviously weren't doing anything interesting or you'd be in a better mood, so you can't say I was interrupting anything.” He leaned against the bar and grinned at him.</p><p>“What do you want, Stark?”</p><p>“Are you going to talk to Arriana?”</p><p>Steve let out a growl. “Are you ever going to leave this alone?”</p><p>“Not so long as Arriana's alive, no.”</p><p>Steve jolted as if he'd been slapped, but it wasn't his face that hurt.</p><p>“Look,” Tony sighed, “I don't want to argue with you, but I'm worried about Arriana going on this mission with whatever this is bothering her. It's the same thing I was telling Banner. I don't want Lizzy going with this loneliness hanging over her.”</p><p>“He does love her then?”</p><p>“Of course he does,” Tony said. “But he's afraid to tell her.”</p><p>“But she clearly loves him,” Steve said.</p><p>“It's not so clear to him.” Tony relaxed his stance, heartened that this tactic seemed to be working.</p><p>Steve was quiet. “I don't want to put her on the spot either, though.”</p><p>“Meaning?”</p><p>“Meaning,” Steve leaned against the back of the couch, “that I'm not sure now is a great time to talk with her. If you're right and she does... love me, then I don't want to wait. I want to talk to her before she leaves for the... the mission. But if she doesn't love me, I don't want her feeling bad and being distracted by that when on the mission.”</p><p>Tony frowned and sipped his scotch. “Fair point. As a slight aside to what you should do, what do you think Banner should do?”</p><p>“He should tell her before they leave. Lizzy clearly loves him and it's hurting her to not be with him. I...” His brow pinched. “I don't understand poly-whatever, but she clearly loves Loki <em>and</em> Dr. Banner.”</p><p>“It's polyamory – to love more than one person.” Tony glanced at the nearby clock. “Look, it's just after eleven o'clock. They're waking up at one. Just think about it.” He headed for the doorway and then stopped. “Look, Steve, I know you and I don't really see eye to eye on a lot, but I've known the triplets since they were 14. And they're some of the only family I have. I don't want to see them hurt.”</p><p>“Then why are you trying to make me tell her?”</p><p>Tony looked back at him. “Because I don't want to see her hurt.” He strode toward the elevators. “Just think about it,” he called back.</p><p>Steve sighed and slumped over the back of the couch, landing on the plush fabric. “What am I going to do?”</p><p>“Is that a rhetorical question, sir?” Jarvis asked.</p><p>“Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry, Jarvis.”</p><p>“My pleasure, Captain Rogers.”</p><p>Steve heaved what seemed like the millionth sigh and stared at a different ceiling now. His muscles twitched and jumped, and his mind ran in circles. He leaped up. “Hey, Jarvis.”</p><p>“Yes, sir?”</p><p>“In all these floors, there isn't a punching bag I can get to, is there?”</p><p>“Yes, sir, on the workout floor.”</p><p>“Can I get onto that floor? I don't know what Stark has locked and what he doesn't.”</p><p>“You have access to the workout floor, Captain Rogers. If you wish to step into the elevator I will take you there.”</p><p>“Uh, yeah, just one minute.” He jogged back to his room and pulled open the closet doors. “Oh, right.” He looked around at the huge volume of clothes. “Uh, Jarvis, where can I find sweatpants?”</p><p>“To your right, sir.”</p><p>Steve watched as the rack moved and clothes sailed past until a selection of different colors and styles of sweatpants hung in front of him. He grabbed the first pair he saw and changed into them.</p><p>“Okay, take me to the workout floor, Jarvis,” he said as he jogged into the open elevator.</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>Steve paced back and forth as the elevator hummed softly downward.</p><p>It dinged. “Workout floor.”</p><p>Steve stepped out into a brightly lit entrance. On the wall directly across from him was a large detailed painting of Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. Greek and Roman statues stood in niches around the circular entrance. Humanity at its peak.</p><p>He shook himself. “I have everything I ever wanted,” he murmured to himself, “except for the most important thing. I'd give it all up to have one more conversation with Bucky. I need his advice.” With a sigh, he wandered out of the entrance.</p><p>Large windows filled the giant room with sunlight. Various contraptions stood around the room. He recognized the treadmills and the weight bars, but little else.</p><p>“Where's the punching bag, Jarvis?”</p><p>“To your right, sir. In the corner between the windows and the dance studio.”</p><p>“A dance studio? What's that for?”</p><p>“Dancing, sir.”</p><p>“I can tell you were programmed by Stark.”</p><p>“Thank you, sir, and my apologies,” Jarvis said. “To your immediate right, you will find a small concession station with bottled water – both flat and sparkling – as well as various sports drinks, power bars, and a smoothie station along with other healthy pre- and post-workout snacks.”</p><p>“Uh, okay. I didn't recognize half of those things, but thank you.” He paused at the concession station and grabbed a bottle of water, and then continued toward the far windows where he spotted three punching bags.</p><p>“You will find boxing wraps and gloves to your right, sir.”</p><p>“Thanks.” Steve grabbed a set of wraps and within a couple minutes squared up with one of the punching bags.</p><p>Loki's sneer rang in his head. <em>The soldier. A man out of time...</em> The image of Loki cuddling Arriana punched him in the gut.</p><p>With a cry he sank his fist into the punching bag. He needed more practice. Fighting Loki had showed his weaknesses and he couldn't risk being beaten again.</p><p><em>Maybe that's all I am. A soldier. Maybe there is no love for me. No marriage. No children...</em> He stopped, the punching bag swinging wildly.</p><p>With another roar, he let loose a deadly assault on the punching bag, losing all sense of time and his surroundings as he punished his body almost as much as he punished the bag.</p><p>“Captain Rogers, sir,” Jarvis's voice jolted him.</p><p>“Yes, Jarvis?”</p><p>“I thought I would inform you it is nearly one o'clock. The stealth strike team will be waking soon and meeting on the Party Deck in forty-five minutes to set out for Mission: Philadelphia Freedom.”</p><p>Steve frowned for a moment and then a smile spread across his face. “The triplets named it, didn't they?”</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>He gave a soft chuckle and then shook himself. “You said they'll be on the Party Deck in forty-five minutes?”</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>“Thank you, Jarvis.” He stood motionless for a moment. “I have to tell her. I have to give a life together a chance.” He took off for the elevator. “Take me to the Party Deck, Jarvis.”</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Triplets (OCs) prepare for the mission to rescue Coulson.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Mr. Loki, you requested I wake you prior to the Triplets, sir,” Jarvis whispered in the silent room.</p><p>“I'm awake, Jarvis.” He stroked Lizzy's hair, brushing it out of her face, and pulled the blankets up a little higher over his loves. “I've been just watching over them. Thank you nonetheless, though.”</p><p>“You're welcome, sir.”</p><p>Loki vacillated between watching the clock and watching the Triplets as they slept. It had taken them a surprisingly short time to fall asleep. Practice, he assumed. And though they tried to hide it, he saw the tears on Lizzy and Arriana's cheeks. Michael too had blinked away a few tears.</p><p>“It's as if I interrupted fate,” he murmured to the room. “As if I was never meant to be here. Like our lives were never meant to cross.” He shifted the stuffed animal beneath Lizzy's head to a more comfortable position.</p><p>A grouchy meow issued from a few feet down the bed.</p><p>“I know, but her neck was at an uncomfortable-looking angle. I don't want her to wake up with a neck ache.”</p><p>“Myah.” Angel stretched and settled more heavily on Lizzy's ankles. Her purring filled the room with its soothing rumble.</p><p>“Well, my thanks for starting the purr-machine,” Loki said with a roll of his eyes.</p><p>A second chirped meow was less welcome. He turned to find Munchkin's large paws walking up Arriana's side. She shifted and batted at the invading cat.</p><p>“No, you get off. She doesn't need bruises before she even leaves.” He swatted at the cat and it sprang off her hip, making her moan in her sleep. “I blame you,” he said, leveling his finger at the retreating gray fur. “That's not the sort of moan I elicit.”</p><p>Michael chuckled in his sleep and Loki turned to find Tani licking his ear.</p><p>“Loki,” Michael mumbled.</p><p>Loki gave a soft snort. “Tani, up on the bed.” The dog obligingly jumped up and fumbled across Michael. “Lay down, girl.” The dog thumped herself between Michael and Lizzy's legs and plunked her head down on Angel. The cat cursed the large dog but then returned to purring.</p><p>“The lot of you,” Loki said, shaking his head.</p><p>“They're almost as insane as we are.” Lizzy's voice startled him.</p><p>He looked down to find her bright blue eyes watching him.</p><p>“I'm sorry, darling, I was trying to let you sleep as long as you could.”</p><p>“What time is it?”</p><p>“It's twelve fifty-eight.”</p><p>She shrugged and stretched. “We need to wake up in two minutes anyway.”</p><p>Michael's hand blindly wandered down until he found Tani, her tongue lapping at his hand and her tail thumping on the bed the moment he started moving. “You're a good girl,” he mumbled, scratching behind her ears.</p><p>“Arri,” Lizzy called. “Time to wake up.”</p><p>“Mmmm,” she moaned and burrowed her head under the blankets. “I don't wanna get up, Mommy.”</p><p>“Coulson,” Lizzy said.</p><p>The covers flew back and she sat bolt upright. “I'm up.”</p><p>“I feel so selfish saying this, but I wish you didn't have to go.” Loki gave a bitter chuckle. “And it's even my fault you have to in the first place. If I hadn't tried to kill Coulson, SHIELD never could have taken him.”</p><p>“Loki,” Lizzy said, brushing his hair back. “It's not your fault.”</p><p>“But it is. I mean, I'm so pleased he's alive for your sakes, but a part of me wishes he just would have stayed dead. And I'm so sorry to you for that.”</p><p>Lizzy cuddled against him. “There's nothing wrong with feeling that way. You're worried.”</p><p>“Lizzy's right,” Arriana said, snuggled against his other side. “We'd feel the same way if it was you.”</p><p>Michael crawled over to sit behind him, wrapping his legs around Loki's waist. “We love you, and we promise we'll be as careful as we can, but we have to go. We need Coulson back. He's like a parent to us.”</p><p>Loki chuckled softly. “I know he is. I am sorry for the pain I caused you, but I am glad you will have him back. I just wish you didn't have to risk your lives to get him back.” He pulled them against him and blinked away the stinging tears.</p><p>“We'll be okay, sweetheart,” Lizzy said, brushing away the few offending stray tears that escaped his efforts. “We'll be back before you know it and snuggling with you.” She quirked a wicked brow. “And doing a few other things as well.”</p><p>“Uh-huh,” Arriana giggled. “Because we are the horniest little adrenaline junkies when we get back from a mission.”</p><p>“But this time we have a play toy,” Michael said, kissing the back of Loki's neck.</p><p>A smile finally pushed up the corners of Loki's mouth. “Then I guess it's a good thing I'm the horniest of all the gods.”</p><p>“It really is,” Lizzy said, patting him on the knee. “Now, we need to get ready. Do you want to come with us?”</p><p>“Of course.” He pushed the covers back. “I want to spend every second I can with you.”</p><p>They climbed out of bed much to the dismay of the furry creatures.</p><p>“So I know you mentioned everyone has weaponry at their disposal,” Loki said, “but though your closet is vast, I don't see where there could possibly be space for your personal arsenal.”</p><p>Lizzy laughed as she pushed open the double doors to their obscenely large closet, which took up nearly a quarter of the third floor of their suite. “Oh, ours is hidden pretty well.”</p><p>She headed into the left wing of their closet and pulled open the center set of double doors on the wall adjoining their room. Heading into what even in Asgard was a large closet, she pushed the clothes at the back aside. Lizzy swiped her hand over the wall in a full circle. A glass panel lit up red and she put her hand on it. A moment later, the panel turned green and the outline of a door appeared in the wall, and then slid open.</p><p>The Triplets headed inside with Loki on their heels. At least twenty feet of cabinets lined both sides of the large room. At the far end, three alcoves lit up as they walked in. The Triplets' black suits hung each in its own alcove with the typical gear they each favored, including the individually colored belt buckles that had long been part of their identity, and now, after the very public battle in the heart of New York, was part of how they were known to the world.</p><p>Loki stroked the thin, smooth fabric of their suits. “I swear these suits now strike more fear into my heart than ever before.”</p><p>“Hey,” Michael said, pouting at him, “I thought we were pretty fearsome at the battle.”</p><p>Loki chuckled. “Yes, you were adorable, my darling.”</p><p>The Triplets mouths fell open. “Hey!” they all cried at once.</p><p>“Eheheheheheheheheh!” He doubled over as he laughed. “Oh, the looks on your faces were far too priceless.” He laughed for another moment and then straightened. “You did actually make quite an impressive sight. Due to my somewhat suicidal focus on my mission, I was scared of nothing save failure.”</p><p>They rolled their eyes.</p><p>“Meanie,” Arriana said, smacking his ass.</p><p>“Oh, I can be very mean,” he said, slinking against her.</p><p>“Oh, shit,” Lizzy said. “We're wasting time. Barton and Romanoff are going to kill us. Gear up.” All laughter dissipated.</p><p>“Heard,” Michael and Arriana called, and they snapped into action.</p><p>Planting a hand each on the glass panel next to their own alcove, a suit disengaged and lowered to them. They rapidly pulled their suits on.</p><p>“Do you not need undergarments?” Loki asked, watching them.</p><p>“No,” Lizzy said. “The suits are designed to have structure and support where needed and they're moisture wicking, so we're actually better off naked under the suits.”</p><p>“I would be a great deal more turned on by this fact in other circumstances.”</p><p>She gave him a wink. They zipped their suits as one and turned to begin gathering their favorite guns, knives, and other weapons they always carried onto the tables that had slowly extended from the walls. Finally they turned and each pulled a black backpack out, setting it beside their weapons.</p><p>“I'll get our usual pack gear,” Arriana said.</p><p>“I'll get the climbing gear,” Michael added.</p><p>“And I'll get the scuba gear,” Lizzy said. She glanced at the tactical watch embedded in the wrist of her suit. “Fifteen minutes for collection.”</p><p>“Heard!”</p><p>Moving rapidly between the cabinets on the wall, they collected an armful of gear and supplies and then flitted back to the tables to lay everything out in front of the three packs.</p><p>Loki stood out of their way, more than impressed with their efficiency. “You are by far more highly trained than the warriors of Asgard.”</p><p>“That's sad,” Michael said. “Given that they've had hundreds or thousands of years to train and practice, and we've had twelve.”</p><p>“Well, it's either very pathetic on their part or very skilled on yours,” Loki said. “Either way, I'm impressed.”</p><p>“Well, thank you,” Arriana said, giving him a brief smile as she passed with an armload of power bars, carb capsule packets, and nutrient powder.</p><p>Loki frowned. “Your mission is only a few hours. Why do you need so many supplies?”</p><p>“Things happen,” Lizzy said with a shrug. “You prepare for every eventuality.”</p><p>His breath caught, but he held still, forbidding his arms from gathering them to him and running away with them, taking them to a far off planet where they would be safe. But he loved them more, and they needed Coulson.</p><p>“It's not your fault,” Lizzy said, seemingly out of nowhere.</p><p>He gave a snort. “You heard that? I thought you tried to stay out of my head.”</p><p>“We share brains, baby,” Michael said, patting him on the shoulder as he passed with an armload of ropes. “We all heard you.” He dumped the ropes on his table and began winding them with practiced ease.</p><p>Loki wandered over, fascinated by the various objects and devices laid out on the tables. “What's this?” he asked, picking up a small black disk no more than an inch thick and three inches wide.</p><p>“It's a Waterbug,” Michael said, only glancing up as he worked.</p><p>“And it's use?”</p><p>“It can burrow down through just about anything to find water.” Michael started disbursing the ropes across the three tables and glanced up when Loki didn't respond. “It's in case we find ourselves somewhere there isn't readily available water. It can burrow through soil, sand, even solid rock to get to a well of water. Inside the pod is a water-sensing device that burrows toward the water. It's attached to fifty-three hundred feet of tubing. So it can go just over a mile to find clean water.”</p><p>“That's fascinating, but will you not be surrounded by water?”</p><p>“We can't drink saltwater, sweetie,” Lizzy said. “It kills humans.”</p><p>“But your planet is made up of mostly saltwater.”</p><p>“Hence the need for the device,” Arriana said. “About 70 percent of the earth's surface is covered in water.”</p><p>“Oh, well, then. This is just a precaution.”</p><p>“Of the water on earth, only about 3 percent is drinkable by humans.”</p><p>“What?!” Loki cried. “But how do you survive?”</p><p>“Carefully,” Lizzy said. “And with great effort.”</p><p>“And most of that 3 percent is in glaciers,” Arriana continued. “Access to water has been one of the main factors that determined settlement of the planet. Getting lost at sea is deadly. You won't starve to death, you'll die of thirst.”</p><p>“I'm not sure he wanted to know that, Arri,” Michael said.</p><p>She winced. “Oh, I'm sorry, Loki. I sometimes forget that not everyone needs to know the interesting facts I find in my research.”</p><p>“You're... you're fine.” He swallowed thickly. “And these devices work at sea?”</p><p>“No,” Michael said.</p><p>Loki's eyes fairly screamed. “Then why are you bringing it?”</p><p>“Because we'll also be on land.”</p><p>Arriana held up a smaller blue pod, only an inch wide. “This is for use in the ocean.” She twisted the pod and pulled outward. The blue object elongated into a two foot long tube. “It purifies water, even salt water. You just drink straight from whatever water source you have. It clears 99.9% of all debris, toxins and contaminants, salt, and bacteria and other pathogens.”</p><p>“By the gods, there are a lot of things that can kill you,” Loki said, running his hands through his long hair.</p><p>“Unfortunately, yes,” Lizzy said. She glanced at her watch. “We have three minutes to finish gathering.”</p><p>With a hissed curse, they raced back and forth from the cabinets to the tables. A mountain of gear of all kinds piled up in front of each backpack.</p><p>Lizzy's watch began to beep at steady intervals. “Five, four, three, two, one.”</p><p>They launched themselves to stand at attention behind their tables, hands behind their back.</p><p>“Collection completed,” Lizzy said. “Ten minutes to pack before final check.”</p><p>“Heard!”</p><p>Loki was reminded of the days he snuck out of the palace as a boy and stood for hours watching the skilled craftsmen work. The Triplets' hands moved with thoughtless perfection as they filled their packs. Objects of all shapes and sizes disappeared into the miraculously small bags.</p><p>“One minute,” Lizzy called.</p><p>As the last things were tucked neatly into the packs, the Triplets zipped them as one, spun them facing outward on the table, and laid several weapons alongside their pack.</p><p>They counted down together for the last ten seconds.</p><p>“Ten minutes to strike team rendezvous on the Party Deck,” Lizzy said. “Five minutes for final check.”</p><p>“Heard!”</p><p>“Weapons check.”</p><p>The room filled with clicks and clacks as they checked each of the weapons laid out in front of them was in working order and had all needed ammunition with it.</p><p>“Complete!” they all called as they set down their final weapons beside their packs.</p><p>“Gear check.”</p><p>Again they moved as one as they systematically pawed through their bags to ensure they had everything they needed.</p><p>As they re-zipped their packs, they called, “Complete.”</p><p>“Suit up.”</p><p>Like synchronized dancers, the Triplets loaded the phenomenal amount of weapons into their suits and slung their packs on.</p><p>“Complete! Prepared for mission.”</p><p>“Two minutes to rendezvous,” Lizzy said. “Move out.”</p><p>The table slid back into the walls as they swept from the room, their minds clearly in mission mode, but as they passed him, they each paused to kiss Loki. He hurried after them, but knew better than to disturb their focus as they waited silently in the elevator.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Leaving for the mission.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They heard a nearby <em>ding</em> as their elevator doors opened, and Clint and Natasha stepped out of another elevator as they stepped out of their own.</p><p>“Excellent,” Natasha said, glancing at her watch.</p><p>The Triplets beamed, though they tried to hide it, and immediately followed Clint and Natasha to the tables set up near the DJ station which was acting as their make-shift headquarters.</p><p>Tony and Bruce sat behind the desk, deep in discussion. On the desk sat three octagonal prisms, the silver casing glinting in the light.</p><p>“We can't just bounce the signal, that'll tip them off, too,” Tony said.</p><p>“But we don't even completely know what the island actually looks like,” Bruce said. “How can we accurately project to any incoming signal?” Bruce said.</p><p>“They must have their own reflectors. We'll hack those and take data and any scan footage we can find and replicate it.”</p><p>“If their reflectors are that advanced.”</p><p>“True.”</p><p>“If they're not...” Bruce glanced up and jolted half out of his chair when he saw them. “Lizzy... I... I need to talk to you...”</p><p>“I assume these are the reflectors,” Clint said.</p><p>“Do you have the detonators, Stark?” Natasha asked.</p><p>“Just hold your ponies,” Tony said. “Your tech guru has everything you could need.” He got to his feet and pulled a black leather Gucci bag from under the table. “Here you go. I've got everything.”</p><p>“This isn't an infomercial, Tony,” Michael said as he and Arriana laughed. Lizzy smiled and glanced over at Bruce. His eyes darted away. She frowned for a moment, but needed to focus on prepping for the mission.</p><p>“I was going more for old-timey shyster,” Tony said.</p><p>“Stark!” Clint barked. “Get to the gear. We have a schedule to follow.”</p><p>“I know. It's right up there.” Tony pointed to the window where the list of mission checkpoint times was posted. “We've got it all together. The helicopter is waiting down on the helipad on the floor below us and I have all your gear ready. Don't get your panties in a wad.”</p><p>“Kak vy dumayete, on by rasslabilsya s moyey nogoy v yego zadnitse?” Natasha said. <em>(Do you think he would relax with my foot in his ass?)</em></p><p>Clint gave a soft snort.</p><p>“Knock off the arguing,” Lizzy said. “Tony, go ahead. Show us what you have.”</p><p>“Thank you.” He grinned at Clint, and then started pulling things out of the bag. “These are the J-chips. You can either insert it into the main access drive, or you can fit it into this cut clamp and attach it to any of the main wires in the console. Jarvis will automatically erase their system and replace it with himself. They won't be able to track you or exert any control over any part of the plane. I have six here. When you get to the airport, pop one in the Quinjet we already have. The others you'll use to borrow a Quinjet for your trip home.”</p><p>Lizzy took two of the chips and slipped them into her pocket. “I'll load it in the current Quinjet while you four get the unmarked Stark jet ready.”</p><p>“Heard,” they all said as they each took a chip and slid it into a pocket.</p><p>“These are the feed clamps. I've given you four. You only need two, but I figured better to have both teams have them. In case...” He shrugged. “You just clip the red side onto the wires like a chip bag clip. Give it a second to strip the wires, and then flip it over and clip the blue side on. It'll connect to the wires automatically.”</p><p>Natasha and Lizzy took the feed clamps, each buttoning them into a pocket on their sleeve.</p><p>“These are your precious detonators,” Tony said, pulling out two black bags filled with small gray pods, each pod no more than two inches wide. “They can be set to use a timer, or go off via remote detonation. This display on the bag will give you a map of the detonator locations. Once you begin setting them, it will locate your position and give you the most efficient pathway through the compound to set them.”</p><p>“That's handy,” Clint said, taking their bag.</p><p>“The remote is attached to the side of the display. Just pull it off and it'll change from timer mode to trigger mode.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Natasha gave him a satisfied smirk.</p><p>“I've provided two sets just in case of emergency.”</p><p>“Good,” Clint said. “Triplets, once you've retrieved the target, set detonators along your path out. That will prevent us from doubling up.”</p><p>“Yes, sir,” they called.</p><p>“I can also set them off from here,” Tony said. “So if something happens and you need me to, just let me know over your...” He pulled out a box of small flesh colored objects. “Headsets!” He pulled out one of the tiny devices. “This is your ear piece. Designed to fit just inside the ear canal to help prevent it from falling out. It can pick up your voice to a whisper. However, since they can fall out with impact or the force of an explosion...”</p><p>Bruce shifted, running his hands through his hair again. His eyes constantly flicking to Lizzy.</p><p>Across the room, Steve paced back and forth, waiting for the right moment to talk to Arriana. “Hurry up, Stark,” he mumbled to himself. “I won't have long to talk to her and I need every second to make her understand that I love her.”</p><p>“I have also provided these molar caps for redundancy,” Tony said. “Now I know what you're thinking, it's the stuff of movies, right? But not here at Stark Unlimited. Previously only hearing was possible with molar caps, but I've engineered a dual bone conduction speaker and a microphone sensitive enough to pick up the softest emittable whisper.”</p><p>“That's not that revolutionary, Stark,” Clint said. “SHIELD had ear and molar radios pretty similar to this.”</p><p>“Ah, yes, but had they developed the ability to make it compatible with telepathy?”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Yep. These are the only known devices in existence that can transmit telepathic signal to auditory signal using the Triplets' electro-magnetism.”</p><p>“Nice,” Lizzy said, holding up her hand.</p><p>Tony high-fived her. “That's how I roll.” He passed out the ear and molar devices to each of them. Pulling out five sets of goggles emptied the bag. “These are the Phantom View goggles. They allow you to see through organic matter. Rock or metal will appear in red with all organic matter – trees, vines, underbrush alive or dead – will appear in green. This way you don't have to keep pulling them off to check what you're about to trip on.”</p><p>“SHIELD should've had these,” Clint said. “Would've helped on a few missions.”</p><p>“I'll take that as a compliment,” Tony said with a grin. “And finally, your new signal reflector drones. Fresh off the press.”</p><p>Natasha picked up one of the drones to inspect it. “So how do they work, Stark?”</p><p>“They are activated by pressing this panel here.” He pushed it, lighting it up red. “It's now active. Coordinates can be entered if necessary, however, they're also programmed to pick up other reflectors. If the other device doesn't answer to my call signal, they treat it like an enemy drone. Each drone will cover five square miles and will automatically overlap to prevent blind spots. That will give you a total of just over 12 square miles of protected area. I recommend sinking the boat within that radius.”</p><p>“When do you want us to activate the drones?” Clint asked.</p><p>“As you fly over. Just activate them and throw them out the window.”</p><p>“And when we're done?” Natasha asked.</p><p>“They'll remain active for up to a week and then detonate. That gives us time. They likely don't come and go from that base much since that would give away its position. And we thought a week was long enough.”</p><p>“What if they discover the remains of their base before a week?” Michael asked.</p><p>“Any attempt to collect the drones without my deactivation fob will cause them to detonate as well. However, I doubt they'll think to look for them in the first place or find them if they do.”</p><p>“Don't you think they'll know it's you?” Lizzy asked.</p><p>“I'm sure they'll figure it's me,” Tony said with a shrug. “After all, I'm the only one with enough skill to make something like this, but they're going to assume it was us anyway.”</p><p>“I figure it, uh, wouldn't matter if... if it was us or not,” Bruce said. “They're looking f-for a reason to, um, to get rid of us any- anyway.”</p><p>“True,” Lizzy said, giving him a smile.</p><p>“In reality,” Tony said, “we're the only ones that can pull this off. So the second they find the base blown to tiny bits,” he shrugged, “they're going to move to get rid of all of us. So it doesn't matter if they figure out they're my drones. Just matters that they don't get a hold of my technology. Hence the detonation.”</p><p>“Alright, anything else we need to go over?” Clint asked.</p><p>Steve started forward, waiting only a couple feet behind them.</p><p>“Don't think so,” Tony said. “You'll take the helicopter to the airport, get on the jet, and go do your thing. When you get back, just take the helicopter back. I want to keep the helipad blocked from here on out.”</p><p>“Alright,” Natasha said. “Stow all additional gear and let's head out.”</p><p>“Are we clear to exit, Stark?” Clint asked.</p><p>“Yep. Nothing comes up in scans, three miles in all directions.”</p><p>“Good.”</p><p>They quickly added the new devices to their equipment and slung their packs on again. Natasha and Clint headed for the door outside.</p><p>“Lizzy, I... I need to talk to you,” Bruce said again.</p><p>“I can't at the moment, Bruce. Sorry, but I have to go,” she said, starting toward the door.</p><p>“Please, it's important.” He darted around the desk and put a hand on her shoulder. “Please, Lizzy. Just one minute.”</p><p>Arriana turned and bumped right into Steve. “Oh, sorry, Steve. I'll see you when I get back.”</p><p>“Arriana, I need to talk to you. Now, before you go.”</p><p>“I don't have time. I'm sorry.”</p><p>“Please, it's important.”</p><p>Michael stood waiting at the door outside. “Arri, Lizzy, we gotta go,” he called.</p><p>“What's holding you up?” Clint called from the bottom of the stairs. “We have a timeline!”</p><p>“Sorry, sir,” Michael called. “Girls, let's go!”</p><p>“Sorry, Bruce. I have to go. We'll talk when I get back.” She gave him a peck on the cheek and darted off toward the door.</p><p>“Steve, we'll talk later. I'm holding everyone up.” She started forward.</p><p>He caught her arm. “No, Arriana, you don't understand. It's important.”</p><p>Her eyes darkened. “So is saving Coulson. Now hands off or I'll break it.”</p><p>He dropped her arm. “I'm sorry, but I really need to talk to you.”</p><p>“Later.” She spun around and jogged to the door. “Sorry, guys.”</p><p>“Let's just go,” Michael said.</p><p>“Triplets, report, now!” came Natasha's voice.</p><p>They raced out the door and down the stairs to the lower level helipad deck.</p><p>“Sorry, guys,” Tony said. “I was hoping there would be more time.”</p><p>“If you hadn't talked so much there might have been,” Steve said, spinning around, his chest heaving and fighting back the threatening tears.</p><p>“Steve, it's not Tony's fault,” Bruce said, slumping into a chair. “There was little time as it was. And what did we think was going to happen anyway? Even if by some miracle Lizzy did love me too, there's no time for any kind of 'moment'.” He sighed. “I just hope she gets back okay.”</p><p>They turned and watched the helicopter take off.</p><p>
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</p><p>“Do you copy, Stark?” Clint's voice issued from the overhead speakers.</p><p>“We copy.”</p><p>“We've landed at LaGuardia. Transferring to unmarked Stark jet now, thirteen fifty-seven.”</p><p>“Copy.”</p><p>The room was quiet as they waited. Fury had joined them shortly after the team had left. He sat nearby on a couch with his feet up, still on the IV, watching silently. Pepper had pulled a chair around to sit near Tony but stay out of his way. Bruce and Tony stayed at the controls, and Steve and Loki stood watching, leaving several feet of distance between them.</p><p>“We've transferred into Stark Seven,” Clint said.</p><p>The elevator dinged and Thor wandered out. “Good afternoon, my friends,” he said with a wide smile.</p><p>“Shhhhh!!!” the room hissed.</p><p>“Engines revved, pulling out of hangar at fourteen hundred hours.”</p><p>Thor stood beside Loki, who gave him a half glare, and watched the video feed Tony had pulled up from the plane cockpit.</p><p>Arriana's voice suddenly popped onto the feed. They could see her standing behind Clint, who was in the pilot's seat. “Tower, this is Stark Seven requesting priority permission for immediate take-off.”</p><p>“This is Tower. Pilot, please identify.”</p><p>“It's Little Eagle, Ed. I need take off now.”</p><p>“I've got one in the hopper, but you can take off after that.”</p><p>“Won't work. I'm hopping the line, Ed.”</p><p>“Negative, Little Eagle. Get in line behind the 747.”</p><p>“No can do.”</p><p>They watched Clint throttle up the engines, rapidly speeding up the plane. He carefully drove off the runway onto the turf, swerving around the larger plane.</p><p>“Don't go rogue on me, Little Eagle. I'll ground you.”</p><p>“Get your lasso out then, because this bird isn't stopping.”</p><p>“Engaging hyper fuel,” Clint said. The engines purred and the jet picked up speed.</p><p>“God damn it!” Ed yelled over the speaker. “Ground everything! She's gone rogue on me. Little Eagle, throttle down. I repeat throttle down. I have an incoming bird. Repeat, incoming bird.”</p><p>“Relax, Ed. I'll beat it out.”</p><p>Tony gave a soft snort as he watched them race down the runway. “I think I need to send Ed a gift basket.”</p><p>“I already did,” Pepper said from behind her hand as she watched through her fingers.</p><p>“No, no, no, no, no...” The skin of Bruce's temples was white as he pressed his fingers against it. His eyes were glued to the screen, watching the plane that carried the woman he loved hurtle along.</p><p>Steve's jaw flexed even as he stood seemingly at ease, his arms folded over his broad chest, stance wide, but his chest heaved with the panic that pounded against his heart. “Please make it,” he breathed. “Please make it.”</p><p>“Little Eagle, I repeat, abort takeoff. You are flying right at a 747. I repeat, abort.”</p><p>“Negative, Ed.”</p><p>Loki stood still, unmoving, unbreathing. Thor glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and then, very gently, set a hand on Loki's shoulder and gave it a squeeze.</p><p>“They'll be alright,” he said quietly. “Agent Barton is a skilled pilot. He set down a wounded jet in the middle of Manhattan without hitting a single building.”</p><p>Loki glanced at him. “Yes, thank you, Thor.”</p><p>“What are you all worrying about?” Fury said. “Barton's taken off in hurricanes and blizzards. He's taken off from exploding aircraft carriers and bases. This is a cakewalk for him.”</p><p>“They're scared, Director,” Pepper said. “This whole mission is terrifying.”</p><p>“You're just jealous they didn't name the mission after you.” Tony gave him a shit-eating grin.</p><p>Bruce looked over at Tony, shaking his head. “How can you not be <em>terrified</em> <span>–</span> Holy shit!”</p><p>The incoming plane was coming straight at them. Barton floored it and pulled up, narrowly missing the 747 and sailing over it by only a couple dozen feet.</p><p>“And we are clear, Tower,” Arriana said with a soft laugh.</p><p>“And you are crazy, Little Eagle.”</p><p>“You know it, Ed.”</p><p>“I am gonna have to put that on your record.”</p><p>“Sure thing, Ed. Heading to 60,000 feet cruising altitude.”</p><p>“Copy that, Little Eagle. Safe flight.”</p><p>“We're clear of the tower,” Clint said.</p><p>“Are you mad, Barton?!” Steve yelled. “You could've killed all of you!”</p><p>“This is going to be a long mission with these worrywarts watching,” Natasha said.</p><p>“Relax, Cap,” Clint said. “I've done so much worse than that.”</p><p>Steve groaned, doubled over, gripping his hair. “Fuck, I wish I was there.”</p><p>Tony spun around in his chair. “Did Captain America just say 'fuck'?”</p><p>“Yes, now pay attention. Don't you have some technology shit to do?”</p><p>Tony gave a shrill whistled. “Wow, you need to take a very large chill pill. Do you need some weed?”</p><p>“Or a Valium?” Bruce asked.</p><p>“I'm not smoking weed right now, and I'm not sure what Valium is, but if it change alertness – no, thank you.” Steve turned and began pacing in front of the windows, glancing at the screens every time he passed.</p><p>“You gonna make it, Big Man?” Tony asked quietly.</p><p>“I'll manage.”</p><p>“Step away if it gets too stressful. I can handle it.”</p><p>“Thanks. I will if I have to, but I'd rather stay with her.”</p><p>“Just keep telling yourself 'she knows what she's doing',” Tony said. “They've been on lots of tough missions before.”</p><p>“Have you ever watched one of their missions?” Bruce asked.</p><p>He shook his head. “They don't usually need me since their missions are typically for SHIELD. I get to do the 'worried wort sitting in the waiting room' bit.”</p><p>“Is this better or worse?”</p><p>“For me?” Tony asked. Bruce nodded. “This is better in some ways. I feel like I can do more for them, but ask me that if anything goes down. The answer will probably be different.”</p><p>“Loki, you do have to breathe eventually,” Thor said.</p><p>They turned to see Loki, standing exactly as he had been, but clearly holding his breath.</p><p>“Hey, Triplets,” Tony said into his mic.</p><p>“What's up, Tony?” Lizzy asked.</p><p>“Say something to calm Reindeer Games down, here. He's flipping out and we've only just started.”</p><p>“Loki, sweetheart, we're fine,” she said. “Barton knew what he was doing. That wasn't luck, that was skill.”</p><p>He dragged in a breath. “I just want you to come back to me whole and safe.”</p><p>“We will.”</p><p>“You all have to relax,” Michael said. “This is a 9 hour flight there. This is the easy part.”</p><p>“He's right,” Tony said. “Anyone who can get some sleep, should. Jarvis can wake you if anything happens.”</p><p>“I'm not leaving,” Loki said.</p><p>“Me either,” Steve said.</p><p>Bruce shrugged. “I couldn't sleep if I gave myself an overdose of morphine right now.”</p><p>Tony shook his head. “Do I need Jarvis to run the breathing exercise program?”</p><p>“You're one to talk,” Steve said. “You're not running off to sleep.”</p><p>“I, unlike you, am actually needed here,” he said, looking back over his shoulder. “Speaking of, I have work to do. All you Stressed-Out Sally's can freak out quietly.”</p><p>“Well, I'm gonna take a nap,” Fury said as he settled back on the couch. “I trust my agents.”</p><p>“Good for you,” Bruce said sardonically.</p><p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Strike Team lands and the mission begins.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Stark, we're just over 200 miles away from Tahiti International Airport,” Clint said.</p><p>“Good. Jarvis, scan the area for our new vacation destination.”</p><p>“Yes, sir. Sixty seconds to completion.” They waited in silence for the sixty second eternity. Finally, Jarvis said, “Ilha do Sopro da Morte located at target coordinates. Merging concept map with scan data.”</p><p>“Yes!” they cried.</p><p>“And that's why I love me,” Tony said. “Barton, go ahead and activate the drones and toss them out.”</p><p>“Copy that.”</p><p>“Here I thought you were such a modest guy, Stark,” Fury said from his spot on the couch.</p><p>“Why be modest about such awesomeness?” Tony said. “That would be like lying.”</p><p>Steve rolled his eyes. “Can we focus on the mission, please?”</p><p>Tony spun around. “Okay, I know you're upset, but you're going to have to ease up. We're still in the chill part of this program, and I don't want to have to tranquilize you myself.”</p><p>“I'm not sure if tranquilizers would work on him,” Bruce said. He had managed to maintain the semblance of calm during the long flight, but his knee was bouncing again as they approached landing.</p><p>“Fair enough,” Tony said. “Maybe we should test them, just to make sure. It's for science.”</p><p>“Knock it off, Stark,” Fury said. “My strike team doesn't need the two of you bickering like three-year-olds.”</p><p>“I'd say we're at least 15-year-olds,” Tony said.</p><p>“Whatever. Knock it off.”</p><p>Tony glared at him. “Aw, shucks, <em>Dad.</em>”</p><p>“Well, if you're gonna act like a child, I'm gonna treat you like a child,” Fury said.</p><p>Pepper practically launched forward. She leaned in to Tony's ear. “Tony, I know they're all pushing your buttons, but the Triplets need you.”</p><p>He pressed his lips shut and nodded.</p><p>Turning, Pepper smiled at Steve. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”</p><p>“Sure, ma'am.” Steve frowned, but followed her, glancing over his shoulder at the screen.</p><p>She led him over to the bar and poured a cup of coffee. “Look, Steve, I know you're worried, and I'm sorry you didn't get to talk to Arriana before she had to leave, but you've got to find a way to calm down.”</p><p>“I'm sorry, ma'am.” He straightened, ducking his head slightly. “I'm not trying to cause trouble, just trying to keep everyone focused.”</p><p>“I appreciate that, but unfortunately the opposite is happening.”</p><p>He frowned for a moment. “You're right. I'm sorry, ma'am.”</p><p>“Believe me, I know Tony can be frustrating, but you have to let a lot of what he says roll off your back. He likes to talk, but he truly does care. The Triplets are his family. He'll die before he lets anything happen to them.”</p><p>Steve nodded. “He said they were his family when he talked to me earlier. I have to say it was strange seeing him... I'm not sure, let down his guard, I guess.” He stared out the window. “When Arriana stayed with me in June, she was trying to explain Tony without breaching his privacy. She said he's more than meets the eye. That he's not all talk, but at the same time, she said he is as brilliant as he says he is.”</p><p>Pepper laughed softly. “Fortunately, that's true.” She glanced back over at him with a smile. “He wouldn't be alive if he wasn't as smart as he is.”</p><p>He watched her for a moment and then let a sigh slip out. “You're right. I'm taking out my worry about Arriana on Stark. I need to calm down. A hot head is a dangerous thing on a mission.”</p><p>“Definitely.” She smiled and put a hand on his shoulder for a moment. “It will be okay, Steve. Just think of what they were capable of in the Battle of New York. Yes, they were injured, but they were alright.”</p><p>He nodded. “Thank you, ma'am.”</p><p>“Pepper, for goodness' sake.”</p><p>A chuckle finally pushed through. “Thank you, Pepper.”</p><p>Tony sat watching Pepper and Steve out of the corner of his eye. He glanced at Bruce. “How you doing, Big Man?”</p><p>Bruce gave a wry chuckle. “Oh, I'm fine. I've never been more relaxed in my life.”</p><p>“For what it's worth, don't take her not talking to you as a sign she doesn't love you. They just needed to get out the door.”</p><p>“I hope you're right.” He sighed and ruffled his hair. “Though I still don't see how she could love me.”</p><p>“You're a great guy. Smart, funny, good looking. What's not to love?”</p><p>Bruce propped his chin on his hand. “Might be the giant, rage-filled monster I change into at the drop of a hat. Or the fact that I'm a washed-up nobody who isn't exactly known for attracting the opposite sex. Nobody wants me.”</p><p>Tony snorted. “Take it from someone who attracts everyone. It's no fun.”</p><p>“I wouldn't mind a few interested parties. One in particular.”</p><p>“Well, you haven't asked her yet, so don't write it off.”</p><p>He sighed again. “I'll try.”</p><p>“We're beginning our landing pattern,” Clint said. “Wheels down in 90 minutes.”</p><p>“Gotcha,” Tony said.</p><p>“Once we land,” Natasha said, “I'll go check into the hotel and we'll lay low there until it's time to go.”</p><p>“Sounds good.” He spun around and studied the timeline for a moment. “Jarvis, do we have confirmation on the hotel?”</p><p>“Yes, sir. We have been confirmed for 2 suites – the Presidential and L'élégant – for a one month stay. Checking in today, Wednesday, August 24<sup>th</sup>, 2016, and checking out on Friday, September 23<sup>rd</sup>. All the usual amenities have been ordered, sir.”</p><p>“Thank you, Jarvis. So feel free to have a dip in the private pool, kids,” he said over the microphone.</p><p>“We're not there to have a good time, Stark,” Clint said.</p><p>“Doesn't mean you <em>can't</em> have a good time.”</p><p>“It sort of does.”</p><p>“Killjoy.”</p><p>“One of my many specialties.”</p><p>“Oh, Tony,” Arriana cut in. “Can you make sure someone goes and spends some time with Tani and the cats? They haven't had much attention in the last few days and I don't want them getting lonely... or destructive.”</p><p>“I will see to the pets,” Loki said.</p><p>“Thank you, sweetheart.”</p><p>Steve sighed. <em>God, I wish I was her sweetheart.</em></p><p>“Anybody who needs or wants to can go get some rest,” Tony said. “I'll see them through landing. It's just after 9:30. They'll be leaving in about four and a half hours, at 2am.”</p><p>“I'm going to go run off some of my stress,” Steve said.</p><p>“Knock yourself out. The workout and gymnastics floors are available to anyone who wants to use them,” Tony said.</p><p>Steve stood for another moment watching Arriana on the screen, and then turned and jogged to the elevator.</p><p>“Are you certain they will be alright through landing and getting to their hiding place?” Loki asked.</p><p>Tony nodded. “They'll be fine.”</p><p>“Then I shall keep my word and go spend some time with the pets.” Loki gave a shallow bow and headed for the elevator.</p><p>Bruce rubbed his eyes.</p><p>“You should get a little sleep, Big Man,” Tony said, clapping him on the shoulder.</p><p>“I'm not sure I can sleep.”</p><p>“Well, why don't you go meditate. You've got that awesome meditation room Lizzy designed for you.”</p><p>“She designed it?”</p><p>Tony winced. “With some help, but yeah.”</p><p>He was quiet for a moment, and then nodded. “I think I will go meditate for a while. Even if I don't sleep, it'll keep me fresh to be up through the rest of their mission.” He glanced over at Fury. “Director, are you–” Bruce chuckled at Fury sleeping on the couch. “I guess you answered my question.”</p><p>“I'll keep an eye on him,” Tony said. “If he needs anything, Jarvis will let you know.”</p><p>“Thanks, Tony.” Bruce got up, watched the screen with Lizzy on it for a moment, and then turned and headed for the elevator.</p><p>“If I am not needed...” Thor started.</p><p>“You're not,” Tony said.</p><p>“I shall continue delving into the astronomical phenomena of this realm.”</p><p>Tony stared, open mouthed. “What did you just say?”</p><p>Thor's eyes twinkled. “I'm not sure.” He gave a wink and then disappeared into the elevator.</p><p>Pepper laughed softly. “He's not dumb, you know.”</p><p>“I think everyone's dumb,” Tony said. “Except you. Though you're suspect for loving me. Not the smartest decision.” He turned and kissed her.</p><p>“I know,” she shrugged, “but you're good in bed.”</p><p>“I knew it,” he laughed. “Wins every time.” He pulled her chair over next to his. “Are you going to stay or get some sleep?”</p><p>“I'll stay. I slept long enough before. I mean, if everything goes according to plan, they should be back by 3pm. It's only 18 hours from now.”</p><p>“Yeah, it's just if things don't go according to plan.”</p><p>She leaned in and kissed him. “Then I'll want to be up anyway.”</p><p>He smiled and pulled her feet up onto his lap. Taking her shoes off, he started rubbing her feet.</p><p>“Oh, I might like it when you're all worried,” she sighed, leaning back in her chair.</p><p>Tony laughed softly. “Doesn't take worry. I just like being near you.”</p><p>“I love you, too, Tony.”</p><p>
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</p><p>* * *</p><p>
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</p><p>“Suit up,” Natasha said. “Five minutes to exit.”</p><p>They had all been lounging in the room for the last four hours, half dozing, half thinking about the mission. Everything had gone as planned so far, but that meant little as they hadn't really done anything yet.</p><p>“Ugh, it's sweltering,” Arriana said as she fought to get her suit pulled back on. After years of working together, no one cared if they were naked when they were off duty. “Lizzy, can you help me? I'm so sweaty I can't close the suit over my boobs.”</p><p>“Sure.” Lizzy hopped up, having re-zipped her suit. “Okay, you hold the girls down and I'll zip.”</p><p>Arriana pressed her full breasts to her chest and wiggled as Lizzy worked the zipper up.</p><p>“All the technology in the world and Tony couldn't put an air conditioner in these suits,” she muttered.</p><p>“I heard that,” Tony's voice came over the headset.</p><p>“Good,” she said. “Do you have any idea how uncomfortable boob sweat is?”</p><p>“Give the suit a few minutes. It'll wick the moisture away. You should've just kept it on. It would've regulated your temperature better.”</p><p>“Yes, but I like being naked. Remember I'm sort of a nudist at heart. I hate wearing clothing.”</p><p>Tony snorted. “I know. You kids about ready to go?”</p><p>“As soon as Arriana's ready,” Clint said.</p><p>“Alright, I'm in.” She wiggled for another moment and then pulled her pack on. “Ready, sir.”</p><p>“Good,” Tony said. “Now you're still before full night fall. So stay out of sight as much as possible. Not to mention the night life in Tahiti is hoppin' clear until two am or later.”</p><p>“Got it,” Clint said. “Now exiting the hotel room at twenty-one hundred hours local time, and zero two-hundred hours EST – mission time zone.”</p><p>“Have they left yet?” Steve's anxious voice echoed over the microphone.</p><p>“They're leaving now, Cap,” Tony said, his voice muffled slightly. “Hold your spandex-spangled ponies.”</p><p>Arriana choked on a laugh. “Steve, relax. Everything's fine.”</p><p>“Cut the chatter,” Clint said. “From here on out, only mission critical communication. This isn't your average 3-ring circus. So let's stay sharp.”</p><p>“Clint's right,” Natasha said. “Assume these agents are the best of the best – every one will be on their game and every shot will hit its mark. Don't make it easy.”</p><p>“Yes, ma'am,” the triplets said, standing at attention.</p><p>“Let's move out.” Clint pulled open the back door of the villa, glancing around. “We're clear. Move down the beach.”</p><p>Natasha slipped out, crouching with her gun held low, and led the way across the private villa and down to the edge of the sand. The triplets followed, eyes alert and guns drawn. She stopped, lowering herself into the plants and looking around.</p><p>“Clear,” she whispered.</p><p>She stayed where she was, watching their six as Lizzy took point and led the way along the upper edge of the beach, staying close to the plants and trees. Michael was on her heels, always looking the opposite direction to keep watch. Behind him, Arriana stayed in sync with Lizzy, then Clint, keeping watch with Michael, and then Natasha at the rear, turning every few seconds to check their six.</p><p>At every break in the foliage or nearby party, they stopped and cycled point person. No one spoke aside from a whispered 'clear' as they shifted their formation and continued down the beach.</p><p>
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</p><p>* * *</p><p>
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</p><p>Agony was apparent as everyone held their breath, listening to the rustle of bushes and the <em>shoosh</em> of sand underfoot as their five teammates hurried along.</p><p>Steve paced by the windows. Bruce had taken up his position next to Tony again. Thor stood beside Loki, whose eyes alone could have carved The David out of solid granite. Fury sat nearby on the couch, calm but listening intently.</p><p>“Let me know when you're at the cove,” Tony said, keeping his voice low to not startle them.</p><p>“Almost,” Michael, who currently had point, whispered.</p><p>Minutes ticked by as they alternated between holding their breath and breathing slowly and deeply.</p><p>
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</p><p>* * *</p><p>
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</p><p>Michael ducked down into the bushes as a couple drunk college frat boys stumbled naked down the beach. <em>Poorly endowed,</em> he said in their shared mind.</p><p><em>Not the time, Mickey,</em> Lizzy said. <em>But you're right.</em></p><p>“Clear,” Michael said aloud.</p><p>Arriana crept forward and popped her head out of the bushes as they came to an end. “I can see the cove.”</p><p>“Activity?” Clint asked from behind her.</p><p>“Looks like just one fisherman finishing up for the day.”</p><p>“How's the boat?”</p><p>“I... I can't see it.” She looked around. “I'm going to climb that tree.”</p><p>“I've got point,” Clint said.</p><p>She scuttled under a bush to a palm tree, and swiftly shimmied up the trunk.</p><p>They held their position, waiting in silence.</p><p>A moment later, she dropped down beside them. “Looks good. Should fit us all.”</p><p>“Good, let's take it,” Clint said.</p><p>“I've got him,” Natasha said. She slunk forward out of the bushes, unzipping her suit nearly to her navel and starting to stumble along. “Hey, sailor,” she slurred out. “What are you doing out here all alone?”</p><p>“Go back to party, lady,” the man said in broken English.</p><p>“Aw, but I like it out here. The water's so pretty.” She stumbled forward into him.</p><p>“Where you from?” he asked, looking her up and down. If he questioned her clothes, the thought was lost in her cleavage.</p><p>“Hell.” Like a spider closing its web, Natasha snapped alert, grabbed the man by the neck, putting pressure on his windpipe from the front and the spine from behind. He struggled for a moment, gagging and fighting to scream, but she was stronger. Within moments he lost consciousness. She lowered him to the dock. “Clear.”</p><p>The other four hurried forward.</p><p>“No one will ever believe him,” Lizzy said as they stood over him for a moment.</p><p>“Nope.” Michael bent and tucked a wad of Francs in his pocket. “He'll like the new boat, though.”</p><p>“What d'ya got?” Tony asked over the microphone.</p><p>“Twenty foot commercial fishing boat. Out-board motor,” Clint said. “Shit, it's basically a tugboat.”</p><p>“No, it's not,” Lizzy said. “Ooh, dang, this is a nice motor. Used, but nice.”</p><p>“What is it, kiddo?” Tony asked.</p><p>“Looks like 200 horsepower V-8. As is we'll probably get 60 or so miles per hour out of it.”</p><p>“Do you have the multi-tool I gave you? You should be able to open up the gear ratio and get at least 85 to 90 out of it. Maybe even a hundred if you open the air intake a bit.”</p><p>Lizzy looked up at Natasha. “How long is he going to be out?”</p><p>She peered at the unconscious man. “Ten, maybe fifteen minutes. The idiot kept putting his head back, letting me pinch the nerves at the top of his spine.”</p><p>“Silly him,” Clint said.</p><p>“Alright,” Lizzy said, “let's load up. We'll get just out of sight of the shore and then I'll see what I can do with this motor to speed things up.”</p><p>“Alright, but we don't have a lot of time to burn,” Michael said. “You sure you know what you're doing with a boat motor? It's not the same as a car motor.”</p><p>“Close enough. Plus I have Tony on the line.”</p><p>“I've got you, kiddo,” Tony said. “We'll work through it pretty quick.”</p><p>“Let's move out, then,” Clint said.</p><p>They quickly loaded their gear, untied the boat, and climbed in. Motor roaring to life, they trolled out of the docks into open water. Lizzy cranked up the motor and they picked up speed rapidly.</p><p>“Oh yeah,” she laughed. “This is what mama needs.”</p><p>“We're still not fast enough, though,” Clint shouted over the motor and the wind.</p><p>“I just need to get out of sight and then I'll fix it. He's kept it in really good condition even though it's an older motor.”</p><p>“Pity to take it from him,” Arriana said. “But, no use crying over a sunk boat.”</p><p>“We left him enough to buy a whole new boat and motor,” Michael said. “Along with any tackle that's on here and at least a week's wages, so he has time to get a new boat.”</p><p>“So, you're saying he'll be fine,” she said with a laugh.</p><p>The wind whipped past them as night deepened, taking with it the heat and humidity of the day. They were grateful for their suits as the cool sea air sent shivers up their spines every few minutes.</p><p>“Alright, I think we're far enough,” Lizzy said, killing the motor and letting them drift.</p><p>She popped the cover off and began tinkering inside. “Tony, he's made a few modifications to this motor.”</p><p>“What ya got?” he asked.</p><p>“The air and fuel intake valves have been widened.”</p><p>“Is it still the standard gear ratio?”</p><p>“Looks like it.”</p><p>“Let's widen it.”</p><p>The other four kept watch as Lizzy worked.</p><p>“Does that can have fuel in it, Michael?” Arriana asked, pointing to the tall, red plastic canister near his feet.</p><p>He lifted it. “Yeah, it's nearly full. He probably filled it this morning.”</p><p>“Good,” Lizzy said as she worked in the motor. “We'll need more. The fuel gauge was low and since I'm amping this thing up, it'll guzzle like a jonesing crack-whore.”</p><p>“Always so colorful,” Arriana said as she popped open the fuel cap for Michael to pour in the gas.</p><p>Lizzy grunted as she tightened a bolt. “There. That should do it.” It took her another few minutes to put the case back on, and then she hopped back into the driver's seat. The engine turned over with a roar. “Fuck yeah. I'm a genius.”</p><p>Tony laughed. “Good job, kiddo. That baby should hit 90 miles per hour, so be aware while driving it. According to Jarvis's calculations it should take about another hour-forty to get close enough to the island.”</p><p>“Continuing on to target location at zero two hundred twelve,” Clint said. “Estimated time of sinking our boat near island zero four hundred two.”</p><p>Talk ceased and there weren't any other sounds than the roar of the motor and the <em>hush-hush</em> of the sea spray as they zoomed along.</p><p>
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  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The mission continues.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The comm line was silent as they all stood by the makeshift headquarters listening, waiting. Lizzy had cut the engine and they were coasting along closer to the island.</p><p>“We're about two and a half to three miles from the island,” Clint said. The line crackled slightly with the swell of the wind. “Gathering gear and preparing to dive.”</p><p>“Yes, sir,” came the Triplets' voices.</p><p>Loki ran his hands through his hair for the hundredth time, dragging a painful breath in. Steve almost put a hand on his shoulder. He knew how he was feeling. The last thing he wanted was for the woman he loved to get into the water near a deadly island. He resisted and returned to pacing.</p><p>Bruce flicked a screen up in front of him. “Water temperature's okay. I was a little afraid it would be too cold.”</p><p>“My suits can keep you toasty in arctic waters,” Tony said.</p><p>Bruce lifted a brow. “Really?”</p><p>“Okay, maybe not toasty, but you'll live.”</p><p>The words stopped Steve in his tracks as the memory of cold crept into his limbs.</p><p>“Are you alright, Captain?” Loki's voice broke through his thoughts.</p><p>Everyone looked over.</p><p>“Huh?” He frowned and shook his head. He didn't want to like Loki or be grateful to him. “Yeah, I'm fine.”</p><p>Michael's voice cut into their conversation, sending ice through all their veins.</p><p>“It's amazing that we can't see any lights in the distance,” he said. “You'd think there'd be at least a glow on the horizon.”</p><p>“It means they know what they're doing,” Lizzy said.</p><p>“Correct,” Natasha said. “Last reminder: do not take these agents lightly. Assume they are just as good as we are.”</p><p>“Yes, ma'am.”</p><p>Giving himself a shake, Tony said, “Okay, guys, once you're in the water, Lizzy will have to communicate with me through telepathy. Conversation will move to emergency information only.”</p><p>“Copy that,” Clint said. “Diving now.”</p><p>They heard splashes and then the suffocating burbling of water.</p><p>
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</p><p>The gill breathers they had in their mouths drew oxygen from the water around them with every deep <em>pshht</em>.</p><p><em>Alright, can you all hear me fine?</em> Lizzy asked in their minds.</p><p><em>Yeah</em>, all four answered.</p><p>
  <em>What about you, Tony?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yeah, I've got you, kiddo.</em>
</p><p><em>Good.</em> She turned back toward the boat. <em>Now setting the suppressed detonators.</em></p><p>Natasha swam under the boat, pressing two black pods to the hull.</p><p><em>Let's move,</em> Lizzy said.</p><p>They turned and swam in the direction of the island with all the speed of Olympic athletes, trying to put as much distance as possible between them and the explosion that would occur within moments.</p><p>A profound thud sounded through the water and a rushing current pushed them toward the island as they swam.</p><p><em>We have detonation,</em> Lizzy said.</p><p><em>Gotcha,</em> Tony said. <em>I'll have the drones scan for visuals.</em></p><p>
  <em>Shit!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What? What's going on, Lizzy?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There's an underwater reef ahead that we didn't see in our scan. And the current's too strong. Evasive maneuvers!</em>
</p><p>In the murky, dark waters, rock and colorful coral had just appeared in the distance and still the current from the blast pushed them forward, ready to dash them on the rocks.</p><p>For a moment, they tried to swim against the current, but Tony's detonators were more powerful than they were used to.</p><p><em>Lizzy, ask anyone if they remember seeing dark water right up to the island,</em> Clint shouted in her mind. She relayed the question.</p><p><em>I think I do,</em> Michael said, panting. <em>To the west. Heading toward the entrance to the lagoon.</em></p><p>The message was immediately dispersed to everyone.</p><p><em>Dangerous, but our only shot! </em>Clint fought to the surface of the water. Natasha followed close behind, but didn't breach the surface. When he signaled with his hand to go down, she yanked him back under the water and they swam back to where the Triplets were trying to hold steady against the current.</p><p>He motioned for them to follow, swimming almost diagonally to fight the push of the current as they swam to the west.</p><p>As they rounded a stand of rocks, Natasha yanked back on Clint's foot. He turned to look at her. She pointed toward the rocks.</p><p>In the midst of several jagged rocks was a hole large enough for them to fit through. The question was if they could they do it without getting cut up on the rocks. But they were running out of energy and still had a six minute climb up steep cliffs before they could take a break.</p><p>Clint nodded in the dim water-diffused moonlight, and turned, swimming as fast as he could to catch the current push of the waves.</p><p>Natasha motioned for the Triplets to wait.</p><p>Making himself as narrow as possible, Clint slipped through the hole in the reef. His hope that he would find calm water on the other side was destroyed as he was shoved back into the rocks. Lights flashed in his eyes as his head hit rock, and pain blossomed over his back. He grabbed the rock for a moment, and then shoved off it with the next surge of the tide. Water swirled and slammed against him. Fighting his way forward, he grabbed onto a solid out cropping of rock. Climbing upward, he broke the surface to find himself at the base of the cliff.</p><p><em>Lizzy, can you hear me?</em> He panted, his voice tight with pain.</p><p>
  <em>Yes, did you make it okay?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It's rough. We can get through, but it's a cauldron in here. Be ready to be shoved back as soon as you get through that gap.</em>
</p><p><em>Got it.</em> Turning, she relayed his instructions.</p><p><em>You three go first, </em>Natasha said. <em>I'll wait to ensure you make it okay.</em></p><p>Knowing it was completely useless to argue, the Triplets turned. They motioned for Arriana to go. She waited for the next surge of tide and swam toward the break, managing to grab ahold of the rock before it slammed her back into it. Her hands stung, but she held her grip. With the next push of the tide, she raced forward, watching for the blinking red light Clint would be holding under the water for her to follow. She spotted it and turned, bashing her shoulder on a rock. She felt a sharp pain, but kept swimming, fighting not to favor her right side.</p><p><em>I'm through,</em> she called back to Lizzy.</p><p>Michael frantically swam forward to catch the tide, but he wasn't quick enough. It pulled him back before he could get to the hole in the reef. Lizzy darted forward to keep him from being shoved too far back. The next wave gave a sudden jolt forward and they were both slammed into the rocks, feeling the sting on their faces, hands, and knees.</p><p><em>Go!</em> Lizzy shouted.</p><p>Pushing off the rocks, Michael darted through the gap and toward the island.</p><p>Lizzy held on until the next wave and frantically swam to the moderate safety of the solid rock of the island.</p><p>Natasha swam closer against the current pulling away from the island, but was ready when it shoved forward and slipped through the hole in the reef and raced toward the island. She was the last to pull above the surface of the water.</p><p>Clint was already a few feet up the cliff face attaching a rope to the cliff and watching the water below. “You okay, Nat?”</p><p>“I'm good,” she said. “Triplets?”</p><p>“We're banged up, but we'll be fine,” Lizzy said.</p><p>“We need to get out of the water,” Arriana said. “We're bleeding. The sharks will be here soon and I don't fancy fighting sharks today.”</p><p>A rope slapped the water next to them. “Up we go,” Clint said, holding the rope for them to attach to. “We made good time thanks to the explosion. Three miles in twenty minutes.”</p><p>“You five okay?” Tony asked over the headsets.</p><p>“We're mostly in one piece,” Natasha said. “We've made it to the base of the cliff at zero four-hundred twenty. We're now beginning the climb.”</p><p>“We need speed,” Clint said.</p><p>Yanking their packs around in front of them, they pulled out their climbing gear and suited up as fast as they could.</p><p>“Watch it!” Natasha hissed. She ducked under the water. A moment later, thrashing splashed water everywhere. She surfaced as they spotted a retreating fin. “We need to go, now!”</p><p>Not waiting to get fully into their climbing gear, the triplets grabbed the rope and shimmied up it, with Natasha bringing up the rear.</p><p>“You okay, Nat?” Clint called down.</p><p>“I'm fine. It was a young shark. Didn't know how to fight yet.”</p><p>“You punched a baby shark?” Arriana asked.</p><p>Natasha quirked a brow in the dark. “Yes, I did. But if you want to get your ass bitten, I'll call it back.”</p><p>“No, thank you. I like my ass just the way it is.”</p><p>“Then shut up and climb, detka. Worry about animal rights later.”</p><p>“Yes, ma'am.”</p><p>The small amount of rest they could afford themselves wasn't nearly enough, but they were all well practiced in pushing through exhaustion. Hanging from the rope, they carefully fitted their harnesses on and attached themselves to it.</p><p>“Six minutes,” Clint said. “Move out.”</p><p>Hands stinging and bloodied from the reef, they started clawing their way up the craggy rock face. Clint let the triplets climb up ahead of him, and followed with Natasha. They climbed as quickly as they could, taking risky holds and trusting to speed preventing their whole weight from pulling on a less than stable rock.</p><p>
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</p><p>Bruce sat with his head in his hands, breathing slowly and purposefully. Steve had retreated to crouching nearby, with his back against the window, and hands gripping fistfuls of his hair. Loki, however, hadn't moved. He stood, rarely even daring to breathe, frozen to the spot beside Thor, who refused to move from his brother's side.</p><p>“They'll be fine,” Fury said for the hundredth time, more to himself than to the others.</p><p>“Of course they will,” Pepper said. She had her hands folded and pressed against her lips, not daring to speak save to agree with Fury.</p><p>Tony sat leaning back in his chair, seemingly relaxed, but his eyes bored into the screens which held their vitals and any other data the suits they wore could give.</p><p>“Shit!” Lizzy cried.</p><p>“Lizzy!” Clint called over the microphone.</p><p>Bruce jolted upright, nearly falling out of his chair, and stared at the screens which could tell him nothing.</p><p>“Hang on, I've got you,” Clint said. They could hear Lizzy panting in the background.</p><p>“Holy shit,” she panted. “I haven't made that mistake in years.”</p><p>“Be careful, volchitsa,” Natasha said. “We're moving fast. We don't have the luxury of mistakes.”</p><p>“Yes, ma'am.”</p><p>“You got it?” Clint asked.</p><p>“Yeah. I'll be fine. Thanks for grabbing me.”</p><p>“No problem. Now keep going.”</p><p>They all breathed again.</p><p>
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</p><p>Halfway up the cliff their muscles began shaking. Arriana was the first to stop. She gripped the rock with one hand and looped a leg over her arm, while she shook out her other arm. Within a few seconds, the other two paused to shake an arm out as well. They took only a few moments and then unwound their leg, gripped with the other hand and curled themselves up the opposite direction.</p><p>Clint and Natasha each took a break as the Triplets shook out their second arm.</p><p>“Do you hear something?” Natasha asked as she hung upside down.</p><p>They fell silent, listening.</p><p>Suddenly, Michael said, “It's a helicopter! Shit!”</p><p>They all uncurled and began racing up the cliff face, hoping to get into the cover of the trees and bushes.</p><p>“We're not going to make it,” Arriana said.</p><p>The helicopter appeared over the crest of the cliff. For a moment it looked like it would speed away, but it only turned, firing off several rounds from the mounted machine gun.</p><p>Lizzy threw out her hand. <em>Stop!</em></p><p>The gun fell silent.</p><p>
  <em>Why are you doing that? You don't see anything.</em>
</p><p>Michael threw out his hand. He twisted the sight of them dangling from the cliff into roots sticking out of the rocks. “Don't move,” he whispered.</p><p>Lizzy's eyes bored into the pilot of the helicopter. <em>Shit! You're going to get in trouble for firing on nothing. Better go finish your patrol and then get back to report the used rounds.</em></p><p>The helicopter turned and swooped to the east, towards the taller cliffs.</p><p>“Good work,” Clint said, letting his breath rush out.</p><p>With the delay, their muscles were screaming with burning pain, but they couldn't stay where they were. They raced up the cliff-face, now more reckless than ever.</p><p>The closer they got to the top of the cliff, the more rocks slipped and plummeted more than one hundred feet down. But it only gave them a second wind, pushing them faster, knowing this phase of their mission would soon be over and the sooner they'd get to Coulson.</p><p>Michael crested the top first. He stayed low, swiftly detaching himself from the rope. Pulling his pack around, he took out his Phantom View goggles and yanked them on. He flipped on night-vision mode and looking around.</p><p>Lizzy and Arriana scrambled to the top just as he whispered, “Clear,” into his headset.</p><p>The girls rolled to clear the edge as Clint and Natasha heaved themselves up.</p><p>Clint lay on the edge of the cliff, panting, and looked at his watch. “Eight minutes. Two minute delay for that fucking copter.”</p><p>“We need to pick up the pace a little,” Natasha said. “Delays will build up quickly.”</p><p>The triplets nodded and knelt, pulling their packs forward. They each popped a carb capsule to give themselves a boost of energy and took a few sips from tubes to the water pouches on the sides of their packs.</p><p>“Well done,” Tony said. “You're making good time. You're now going to split up. Triplets, you'll head due north to the southern edge of the compound. Barton, Romanoff – you're going to head northeast, skirt the southeastern edge of the compound and continue up the eastern side.”</p><p>“Understood,” they all said.</p><p>“You have just over two miles to cover,” Tony said. “So you'll need to move as fast as possible without eating dirt.”</p><p>“Copy, Stark,” Clint said. “Triplets, when you get to the edge of the compound wait up to thirty minutes for our response before you enter.”</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>“If after thirty minutes you don't hear from us, assume we are captured or dead. Move to the eastern side of the compound with caution to access the mechanical room.”</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>They all got to their feet, pulled the goggles down over their eyes and started off into the jungle of trees, bushes, and vines. They jogged forward together for a few hundred feet before Clint and Natasha shifted off to the east.</p><p>The Triplets hurried on, trying to pick up the pace so they were ready to enter the compound when the signal came.</p><p>Michael, who was currently taking the lead, screeched to a halt.</p><p><em>What's the matter, Mickey?</em> Arriana asked, reverting to their internal communication entirely.</p><p><em>It's the first of the sulfur pits we've found,</em> he said.</p><p>The girls moved to stand beside him. Sure enough, through the red lens of the goggles, they could see a ten foot wide pit. Leaning forward, they looked down.</p><p><em>That's hella deep,</em> Arriana said.</p><p><em>Like my hatred for SHIELD,</em> Lizzy said with a sigh.</p><p>The other two stifled laughs.</p><p><em>Well, let's go around,</em> Michael said.<em> I don't think now's a good time to work on our hovering skills.</em></p><p><em>Especially when we don't actually know how deep it is,</em> Arriana said.</p><p>They jogged around the sulfur pit and then picked up their pace. Twice more they had to screech to a halt when they almost toppled into a pit, but they simply went around them and kept going. The ground began sloping downward more steeply and the pits became more and more frequent.</p><p><em>We must be getting near the compound,</em> Arriana said.</p><p><em>Stop!</em> Michael said, grabbing her and Lizzy by their packs.</p><p><em>What's the matter?</em> Lizzy asked.</p><p><em>Look down, </em>was all he said.</p><p>Frowning slightly, they did as he told them to. Mere inches in front of their shins glinted razor-sharp trip wires.</p><p><em>Yup,</em> Lizzy said. <em>We're getting near the compound.</em></p><p>They glanced around for a few seconds, but the trip wire ran for as far as they could see.</p><p><em>We have to go up,</em> Lizzy said.</p><p>The other two nodded. With quick bounds, they each launched themselves into a nearby tree.</p><p><em>Ready?</em> Arriana asked, a wide grin on her face.</p><p>The other two grinned back.</p><p>Taking a couple running steps on the branches, they leaped from one to the next, sometimes flinging themselves several feet and flipping into the next tree. Speed was of the essence as there was no way to cross trees slowly or quietly.</p><p><em>We're nearing the edge of the thick tree cover,</em> Arriana said.</p><p><em>It looks like we're clear of trip wires,</em> Lizzy said.</p><p><em>Let's hit the ground, then,</em> Michael said. <em>We'll make less noise in the underbrush.</em></p><p>Pausing for a moment to let the leaves quiet, they listened to their surroundings, and then leaped down from the trees.</p><p>They moved slower, staying low and pausing frequently to listen.</p><p><em>I think it's just beyond those thick bushes,</em> Arriana said. <em>I can feel people.</em></p><p>Practically crawling on the ground, they moved forward and leaned through the bushes, sliding their goggles up.</p><p>Chain link and barbed wire greeted them with a brightly lit yard just beyond, with a number of buildings scattered around. The largest, at the very center, was surrounded by guards.</p><p><em>Oh, easy peasy lemon squeezie,</em> Lizzy said sarcastically. <em>Yeah, this is great.</em></p><p><em>I feel like someone's to blame for this,</em> Michael said. <em>Who thought they were bored? Who was it?</em></p><p>Arriana gave a silent laugh. <em>We all have. And if memory serves me, you were the last to say it.</em></p><p>
  <em>Aw, shit. Well, we're definitely not going to be bored here.</em>
</p><p>They shifted back into the cover of the bushes.</p><p><em>Zero four-hundred thirty-nine,</em> Lizzy sighed. <em>So, now we wait.</em></p><p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The mission continues, coming ever closer to their target.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clint and Natasha stayed to the southern end of the island as long as they could to take advantage of the thinner underbrush. Eventually, however, they had to head straight into the heart of the jungle. With the help of the Phantom goggles, they kept a quick pace around the majority of the sulfur pits until they became frequent and larger.</p><p>“What's your bet on trip wires in those thicker vines?” Clint asked, keeping his voice to a whisper.</p><p>“I'll bet Stark's wealth there are.”</p><p>“Up the trees we go.”</p><p>He pulled out his bow and shot an arrow deep into the tree cover. Natasha grabbed onto the trailing rope as he hit the button that retracted it. They swung over the trip wires and up into the trees. Leaping and flipping through the trees, they made fairly good time past the wires.</p><p>They stayed low as they crept to the edge of the jungle.</p><p>“Zero four-hundred forty-one,” Clint said. “Not bad.”</p><p>“Stark,” Natasha said, “can you triangulate where we are?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Tony said. “I've got you in about the right area. According to the plans, the mechanical room should be about fifty yards further north.”</p><p>Moving slowly, and carefully watching the compound, they crawled through the brush and vines.</p><p>Natasha tugged on Clint's bow. He turned and, in sign language, she said, “I see it. It's the gray door with paint peeling just behind the ammunition shed.”</p><p>Clint peered through the chain link and then nodded. He looked closer at the fence and noticed wires running along the metal. Turning to Natasha, he signed back, “The fence has sensors running along it. We can't cut it and even climbing it could set them off.”</p><p>She pointed at the trees above them and signed, “We'll have to jump from the top of the trees.”</p><p>He nodded. Stowing his bow, he started up the tree with Natasha close on his heels.</p><p>They were grateful to find a branch that, while it didn't hang over the fence, came close.</p><p>Making eye contact, they both nodded. Crouching and ready to spring, they watched the guards.</p><p>Through their headset, they heard Tony's voice. “I've got zero four-hundred forty-three. You need to move soon to stay on schedule with feed clamp placement by zero four-hundred fifty.”</p><p>“Copy,” Clint said in barely more than a breath. “Entering compound.”</p><p>“Copy that,” Tony said.</p><p>Natasha took out a small bug-like device. Pulling a small pin, she dropped it to the ground. It skittered a dozen feet and then began rustling the leaves of bushes as it raced in the opposite direction of them.</p><p>“What the hell's that?” A masked agent pointed in the direction of the rustling. “Agents 394 and 219, go check it out.”</p><p>“Yes, sir.” The two agents saluted and then jogged off.</p><p>They waited for the remaining guard to disappear around the corner. Then with two large strides they launched off the tree branch, flying through the air. With a tuck and a flip, they landed and rolled, popping up a second later and racing for the shadows of the ammunition shed.</p><p>A guard wandered past the mechanical room door as they made their rounds.</p><p>Clint and Natasha crept closer in the darkness, knowing that the way SHIELD worked meant they would have no more than a minute to get into the mechanical room before another agent passed through.</p><p>The guard turned the corner.</p><p>Natasha signaled go and they raced forward, staying low. Clint kept watch while she shoved the lock pick chip into the physical lock and slid the Phantom badge into the slot. The light blinked for a moment and then with a soft click, the door opened.</p><p>Pulling the chip and card, Natasha wrenched the door open and they threw themselves into the room. The door clicked shut as they heard the crunch of a boot on gravel.</p><p>Natasha pulled both feed clamps from her sleeve and tossed one to Clint. She turned and began following wires to find the main audio/video wires. Clint turned to finding the main electrical breaker. It took them a minute, but soon the red side of the feed clamp was clipped on and stripping the wires. Flipping them, they snapped on the blue side.</p><p>“Clamps installed,” Clint whispered.</p><p>
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</p><p>“Zero four-hundred fifty,” Tony said. Data began streaming past. “And I'm in. Good work. Alright, starting ten minute timer for video feeds.” A timer appeared over the screens. “Bruce, keep track of them on the drones for the moment. As soon as I find the closest camera to them, I'll throw it up there.”</p><p>“Okay,” Bruce said, dragging in a deep breath. His eyes kept flicking toward the cluster of three colored dots on the other side of the compound map, but he turned his focus to the black dots moving near the red and purple dots.</p><p>Tony's fingers became a blur as he worked. Images flashed before his eyes as he searched through everything he wanted. “Jarvis, start running the video leech program on everything I'm inputting.”</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>“Here you go, Big Man.” He flicked a screen up in front of Bruce.</p><p>The door of the mechanical room appeared in front of him. Every minute a guard wandered by.</p><p>Steve got to his feet. He and Loki moved to stand behind Bruce, watching the feed closely. A moment later, Tony threw up a video feed that swept an edge of the compound, looking out on the jungle.</p><p>“They're out there somewhere,” Tony said. “Obviously, the good news is you can't see them.”</p><p>“Bruce, you watch the mechanical room door,” Steve said. “Loki, watch the Triplets' screen. I'll watch the drone map.”</p><p>The other two men looked at him for a brief moment, and then turned to do as he said.</p><p>“Alright, I'm in control,” Tony said. “Their communication is fully cut off.” He gave a devious laugh. “Oh, SHIELD, I expected so much better from your security.”</p><p>“Sir, I have the leech feed up and ready for the mechanical room,” Jarvis said.</p><p>“Start it. Throw them up as you finish them, Jarvis.”</p><p>“Yes, sir. Eight minutes remaining.”</p><p>Tony glanced at the clock. “Speed it up, Jarvis. I want them completely invisible ASAP.”</p><p>“Yes, sir. Eliminating all unnecessary functions.”</p><p>“Am I still looking at the live feed?” Bruce asked.</p><p>“Yep, I'll put up the loop next to it, so you can see the difference.” Tony tossed a screen up next to it. Agents passed the door every minute as usual. The two screens looked identical.</p><p>“Guards are passing quite close to where I assume the Triplets are hiding,” Loki said.</p><p>“I'll catch 'em,” Tony said. He slid on headphones and fell silent for two minutes, and then said, “Agents 182, 416, and 341, immediately shift patrol to Gate 2. I'm seeing suspicious activity ten yards north.”</p><p>They watched the three agents straighten, and then jog away.</p><p>“Thank you, Stark,” Loki said.</p><p>“My pleasure. I like messing with them.”</p><p>“Stark,” Steve said, his tone dripping with warning.</p><p>“And,” Tony said significantly, “if there are reports of suspicious activity that they check out and turn out to be nothing, they'll take any activity by our team to be false alarms too, and let their guard down.”</p><p>Steve was silent a moment and then said, “Good thinking. My apologies.”</p><p>Tony's brow rose for a moment, but he said nothing else and returned to flicking through screens. “Where are we at, J?”</p><p>“Three minutes to completion, sir.”</p><p>“Thank you. Triplets, do you copy?”</p><p>“We're here, Tony,” Lizzy said.</p><p>“Are you using telepathy?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Oh, I love me.”</p><p>Pepper laughed softly.</p><p>“I'm two to three minutes out. Prepare to move in.”</p><p>“Copy,” Lizzy said.</p><p>Tony's fingers flew for another minute or two and then he grabbed an invisible ball in his hands and threw it up. A wall of screens appeared in front of them. “Here's everything we'll need to watch them.”</p><p>“Audio video leech complete, sir,” Jarvis said.</p><p>“Nine minutes. Good job, J.”</p><p>“Thank you, sir.”</p><p>“Alright, they're blind to us.” Flicking his mic down, he said, “Barton, Romanoff, you are clear to start placing detonators.”</p><p>“Copy that, Stark,” Clint whispered. They heard a soft rustling and a click, and then he said, “Detonator pack activated. Heading out at zero four-hundred fifty-nine.”</p><p>“Copy.”</p><p>
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</p><p>“Triplets,” Tony's voice appeared over the headsets, “you are clear to enter the compound.”</p><p><em>Copy that</em>, Lizzy said in their minds. <em>Moving out at zero five-hundred.</em></p><p>Michael shifted closer to the edge of the bushes and peeked out. <em>We're clear.</em></p><p>They scrambled up the tree they had hidden under.</p><p><em>I don't see any agents,</em> Arriana said. <em>It's suspicious.</em></p><p><em>Tony, did you clear the agents?</em> Lizzy asked.</p><p>“Yep, that's me. You're clear to enter. Obviously still keep your eyes open.”</p><p><em>Copy that.</em> She nodded to the other two.</p><p>One after the other, they launched off the tree branch closest to the fence. Flip, tuck, and roll. They popped back up and darted for the shadows of the building.</p><p><em>Are we clear to take the first door?</em> Lizzy asked.</p><p>“You're clear. It looks like there are some agents in the vicinity, so move quietly.”</p><p>Michael moved forward, gun held low, and slid the Phantom badge into the slot. They heard a click and he pulled the door open. The girls raced in, guns held at chin level as their eyes darted back and forth.</p><p><em>Clear,</em> Arriana said.</p><p>Michael followed, pulling the door slowly shut after him. As soon as they heard the click of the lock, they moved smoothly but quickly down the hall. Arriana took point first, Lizzy right behind her always looking the opposite direction, and Michael stayed behind them, facing backward to watch their six.</p><p>They darted past doors and alcoves, clearly meant as hiding spots in a firefight.</p><p>“Assuming we're right, stay straight through this hallway intersection and take a left at the next,” Tony said. “You'll hit a door at that point. I've got eyes on you, but I can't see where every agent is.”</p><p><em>Copy that,</em> Lizzy said. <em>Let's be careful, guys. I want to shove it up SHIELD's ass and we have to live to do that.</em></p><p><em>Gotcha,</em> the other two said.</p><p>Arriana continued forward. They paused at the entrance to the intersection – the kill zone.</p><p><em>Throwing my feelers,</em> Arriana said.</p><p><em>Throwing my eyes,</em> Michael said.</p><p>Lizzy put a hand on a shoulder each to hold them steady. Arriana opened her mind, reaching outward to feel anyone nearby. Closing his eyes, Micheal tossed his net outward.</p><p><em>I've got someone ten or so yards to our left,</em> Arriana said.</p><p><em>Gotcha.</em> Michael threw his net that direction and flipped his mind into their eyes. <em>They're in a break room,</em> he said. <em>They're watching soap operas.</em></p><p>They laughed silently.</p><p><em>Well, you gotta do something with your time,</em> Lizzy said. <em>Are we clear the other direction?</em></p><p><em>Yes, I didn't feel anyone,</em> Arriana said.</p><p><em>And I'm not seeing anyone close by,</em> Michael said.</p><p><em>Then let's move.</em> Lizzy shifted forward, taking point, with Michael in second position and Arriana bringing up the rear. They hurried down the straightaway and came to the first turn.</p><p>They threw out their minds again.</p><p><em>Shit</em>, Lizzy said. She pushed them back against the wall and put her hand up.</p><p>An agent opened the door they were about to go through.</p><p><em>You're really intent on what you're doing,</em> Lizzy thought at him. <em>Oh, these files seem important. I should jog to get them there.</em></p><p>The agent paused for a moment with a frown.</p><p>Arriana put up her hand. <em>And we're feeling confident in that thought. Yes, you're so smart. You should be in charge.</em></p><p>The agent smiled and jogged off through the opposite door.</p><p><em>Oh, we are so good,</em> Lizzy said. She rushed forward and slipped the Phantom badge in the slot. The door gave a soft buzz and opened.</p><p><em>That's not good,</em> Michael said. <em>We need to move in case they send someone to check.</em></p><p>Arriana closed the door quietly, and then took second position as Michael jogged forward, with Lizzy bringing up the rear now.</p><p>
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</p><p>“Up we go,” Natasha said. She pulled the cover off the vent and climbed in.</p><p>Clint followed, moving automatically from climbing through so many vents. Neither spoke as the vents would cause their voices to echo. They moved forward, peering through vents here and there.</p><p>Looking down into the third room, which had several agents eating, Clint tapped her on the shoulder. He held up the detonators bag, pointing to the map.</p><p>She nodded and pulled a small capsule from her belt. They both pulled a mask up from their collar, pressing it to their nose and mouth. She snapped the capsule, dropped it through the vent, and slid the vent shut.</p><p>A faint haze rose from the capsule.</p><p>“Do you smell that?” one agent asked.</p><p>“Smells... sweet,” another said.</p><p>A moment later, smoke engulfed the room. They coughed for a few seconds, and then all four agents in the room slumped over or dropped to the floor. With the snap of the vent opening, the room cleared in moments.</p><p>Natasha and Clint dropped down into the room.</p><p>“They with the best toys wins,” Clint said, giving Natasha a high-five.</p><p>He started stripping the weapons from the downed agents while Natasha set the detonator at the base of the wall.</p><p>With a quick glance around, he said, “Ready?”</p><p>She nodded, threaded her fingers together and cupped them as she stood beneath the vent. He took a couple running steps, landed his foot in her hands, and jumped as she pushed him upward. He slipped easily up into the vent and reached down. She jumped and grabbed his hand, pulling herself upward.</p><p>They moved quickly through the ducts, setting detonators every few rooms.</p><p>Clint suddenly stopped over a vent. He turned and signed, “Looks like the control room.”</p><p>“Let's take it,” she signed back. “We can keep an eye on the Triplets.” She pulled another capsule from her belt, snapped it, and dropped it through the vent. Clint slid it shut. They heard coughing and then several thuds.</p><p>He opened the vent and the room rapidly cleared.</p><p>They dropped down.</p><p>“Stark,” Natasha said, “we've taken the control room.”</p><p>“Perfect,” Tony said. “Stay there. You can help the Triplets get to Coulson's cell.”</p><p>“How close are they?”</p><p>“Two hallways away.”</p><p>
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  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Phil Coulson is found. Time to head for home.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>Zero-four-zero-nine,</em> Lizzy said. <em>We're at the last hall and ready to take the target's cell.</em></p><p>“Give it one minute, kiddo,” Tony said. “Barton and Romanoff took the control room. They're gonna give you a hand.”</p><p>
  <em>Copy.</em>
</p><p>Michael put a hand on Arriana's shoulder and threw his sight out. He could see the second agent on the other side of the steel door. He scanned the hall one way and then the other.</p><p><em>Can they see us, Mickey?</em> Arriana asked.</p><p>
  <em>No, we're good where we are.</em>
</p><p>They nearly jumped out of their skin when an alarm went off in the opposite direction. The two guards raced off. The Triplets fought not to laugh, but then rapidly sobered. The easier it was to get in, the harder it was to get out. It always held true.</p><p>They hurried forward. Lizzy slid the Phantom badge into the slot. The door clicked open and they darted inside, finding themselves in what looked like a hotel hallway, but it only stretched a few feet either direction. The door they had just entered through looked like nothing more than another hotel room door.</p><p><em>That's trippy,</em> Michael said. The girls nodded.</p><p><em>Zero five-hundred eleven,</em> Lizzy said. <em>We're in, Tony.</em></p><p>“I'll start working on a loop for his cell. It'll take a few minutes, so get him to act normal as you make contact.”</p><p>
  <em>Where isn't there a camera?</em>
</p><p>“You can slide into the closet. Have him come over and decide to change or something. The camera is aimed to pick him up but doesn't look into the closet.”</p><p><em>Copy.</em> She slid the Phantom badge into the door slot which looked like a normal hotel room door lock. The small red light changed to green. Putting up her hand, she slowly moved one finger inward toward the door. She could feel the resistance of the lock, but she managed to make it slide back silently.</p><p>Lizzy held the lock back as Michael carefully pulled the door open. They slipped inside and their stomachs turned over.</p><p>There Phil Coulson sat – relaxing on the couch, feet up on the coffee table, reading a book. It was so normal it was terrifying.</p><p>Giving themselves a shake, Michael eased the door shut and Lizzy slowly released the lock. They crept forward against the wall.</p><p>Taking a deep breath to steel herself, Lizzy reached out with her mind. <em>Well, well, well, if it isn't Philly Cheesesteak.</em></p><p>His head jerked upward, but he remained still otherwise.</p><p><em>I have the world's most normal name, and you still find ways to make fun of it,</em> he thought back.</p><p>They blinked back tears.</p><p>Lizzy rubbed her eyes for a moment. <em>Just for you, Philadelphia Freedom.</em></p><p>He smiled to himself.<em> I knew it would be you three. Why is it always the three of you?</em></p><p>
  <em>Because you saved our lives, and now you get to find out why God wanted us dead.</em>
</p><p>Arriana gave Lizzy a poke and motioned to the closet.</p><p><em>Oh, right,</em> she said. <em>We need you to casually head for the closet and open it. We'll slip inside so we can talk you through the next steps.</em></p><p>Coulson glanced at his watch and set his book down. He got to his feet, stretched, and headed for the closet. Pulling it open, he stepped back, looking like he was considering what he was going to change into.</p><p>The triplets slunk under his arm and into the closet.</p><p>He looked down with a soft smile. <em>Hi, you three.</em></p><p>They smiled back at him.</p><p><em>We missed you,</em> Lizzy said.</p><p>
  <em>And holy hell I've missed you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>We've come to bust you out of this joint and bring you home.</em>
</p><p>He smiled again and pulled a drawer open.</p><p><em>So what's the plan?</em> He asked.</p><p>
  <em>Tony is setting a video loop as we speak. He's set loops everywhere so we can move unseen. We just have to watch out for agents on the ground. Barton and Romanoff are setting detonators throughout the compound.</em>
</p><p><em>Who am I being held by?</em> Coulson asked. <em>They have to be pretty stupid to think I'd fall for the bad special effects. It's obvious this is all simulated.</em></p><p>
  <em>Well, not everyone is as smart as you, Phil-et Of Fish.</em>
</p><p>He smiled again and pulled a t-shirt and pajama pants out of the drawer.</p><p>“Triplets,” Tony said over their headsets, “I have the loop set. You're clear to move as you need to. Get ready to exit as soon as you're ready.”</p><p><em>Copy that, Tony,</em> Lizzy said.</p><p>Arriana launched forward, hugging Coulson tightly. “We missed you so much,” she said, tears thick in her voice.</p><p>“Hey, you're okay, Arri. I'm alright.” He looked up at the other two. “I assume we're okay to talk freely.”</p><p>Lizzy nodded. “But we can't wait long. We need to blow this joint.”</p><p>He motioned them forward and they leaped into his arms as well. “God, it's good to have you three back. This has been far too boring without you three to cause trouble.”</p><p>“Well, we've still been causing trouble,” Michael said. “And your break's over now.”</p><p>“Shucks,” he said, giving them each a kiss on the forehead.</p><p>“Okay, okay,” Lizzy said. “Enough of the love fest. We can hug for days when we get back to Stark Tower.”</p><p>She handed Coulson a gun. Michael pulled out the bag of detonators and clicked one onto the wall. They moved to the first door, opening it silently again. Michael pressed another detonator to the wall.</p><p><em>We need to be silent again,</em> Lizzy said in their minds.</p><p>They all nodded and readied themselves at the door out.</p><p><em>Ready?</em> Lizzy asked. The other two nodded. <em>Michael, you keep track of Coulson. Arri and I will take out the guards.</em></p><p>He nodded and nudged Coulson behind him.</p><p><em>Ready, Arri?</em> Lizzy asked.</p><p>
  <em>Ready.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Three, two, one!</em>
</p><p>They kicked the door open together and raced out. Each girl leaped on one of the guards. One hand to the chin, one hand grabbed the hair, and twist. Snap!</p><p>The two men dropped.</p><p><em>Sometimes I enjoy my job,</em> Lizzy said. Arriana nodded.</p><p>They pulled their guns out and crouched as they moved forward down the corridor.</p><p>“Next hallway is clear,” Tony said over their headsets.</p><p>Michael popped another detonator on the wall.</p><p>Turning the corner, they hurried down the corridor to the next.</p><p>
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</p><p>* * *</p><p>
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</p><p>Bruce, Steve, and Loki all clustered around the screens, watching the Triplets move down a mercifully clear hallway. The silence in the room would've needed a chainsaw to cut it.</p><p>The Triplets came around the corner to find two guards in the hallway. Loki put a hand on Bruce's shoulder as Lizzy raised her gun, and Steve fairly grabbed onto Loki as Arriana leaped fully into the hallway. Two shots fired. Two guards down. They breathed again.</p><p>“I really wish I'd gotten to talk to her,” Bruce said, gripping the arms of his chair.</p><p>“Yeah,” Steve gulped. “I know what you mean.”</p><p>“You wouldn't feel any better if something happens,” Tony said.</p><p>They looked over at him, but his intense eyes didn't budge from the cameras he was watching.</p><p>“But maybe she would,” Bruce said.</p><p>Fury gave a soft snort. “No, they'd be more distracted. Besides, you two numbskulls had months to talk to them. The two minutes before they set out on a mission was a selfish thing to do. I'm glad Barton and Romanoff hurried them out of here.”</p><p>The two men looked over at him.</p><p>“You think it was selfish?” Bruce asked.</p><p>Fury nodded. “You think she'd want to leave immediately after that oh-so-brief conversation? But she still has to go. And then she'd be having trouble focusing, making it more dangerous for herself and the other two. And she wouldn't thank you for getting the other two hurt. Either of them.”</p><p>Bruce frowned, but nodded. “You're right. I shouldn't have put that on her. I'll talk to her when she's rested, after she gets back.”</p><p>“A good choice, Dr. Banner.”</p><p>Steve nodded. “That's what we'll do then.” He frowned for a moment longer. “Pepper, can I ask you a question?”</p><p>“Of course, Steve.”</p><p>“Why did Arriana get so upset with me? I was just trying to talk to her, and it's not like I've never touched her before.” His face burned bright red to his ears.</p><p>“You can't grab a woman, Steve,” Pepper said. “She has every right to walk away from you if she wants to.”</p><p>“Of course she does.”</p><p>“But you physically prevented her from doing so.”</p><p>He frowned again. “Oh. I guess I hadn't thought about it that way.”</p><p>“Unfortunately you missed all the time that women's rights have been developing,” she said. “Women are still fighting for their bodily autonomy. But especially someone like Arriana, being so highly trained and carrying herself with so much dignity, knowing her power, isn't going to stand for being manhandled.”</p><p>“Huh, I guess, I'd never thought about that word either. Manhandled. Physically forcing someone to do what you want them to. I guess I need to watch that more carefully. Missing time is no excuse.” He gave a firm nod. “Thank you, Pepper.”</p><p>“Any time, Steve.” She smiled and shifted a little closer to Tony.</p><p>He put his arm around her and pressed a kiss to her forehead without ever taking his eyes from the screens.</p><p>“Next hallway is clear,” he said.</p><p>
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</p><p>* * *</p><p>
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</p><p>Clint clicked another detonator into place. “I think the rest get set once we exit.”</p><p>“No, we've got two more,” Natasha said. “One two corridors over and one two corridors beyond that. Then we exit.”</p><p>“Emergency!” Tony called over their headsets. “Hold your positions. Don't move no matter what.”</p><p>
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</p><p>* * *</p><p>
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</p><p>The Triplets turned the corner and hurried down the corridor. Halfway down, they heard a shout.</p><p>Michael spun around to see two agents and a moment later four more raced into view. He grabbed Coulson, pushing him into an alcove. The girls darted into the opposite alcove as shots whizzed down the hall.</p><p>“We're trapped,” Lizzy said.</p><p>She tried to lean around the corner to return fire, but a bullet narrowly missed her and Arriana pulled her back.</p><p>“Give me a minute.” Stowing her gun, Arriana crouched down with a fist to the floor. “Brace yourselves!”</p><p>Taking a deep breath, she drew all her strength into her core and filled it with fear. She leaped and came back down with a terrible scream, slamming her fist into the floor. A shockwave went out.</p><p>The bullets stopped and screaming began.</p><p>The Triplets leaped out into the hallway, lifting their guns and their hands. They each fired a shot and all six agents dropped – three bleeding from bullet wounds, and three with no visible evidence of cause of death.</p><p>“Holy shit,” Coulson said, “what was that?”</p><p>“Sorry,” Arriana said. “That's my ground-pound.”</p><p>“Explain later,” Lizzy said. “We gotta move.”</p><p>
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</p><p>* * *</p><p>
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</p><p>“Is she okay?” Bruce asked, barely breathing and unable to watch the screen.</p><p>“They're... they're alright,” Loki sighed. “It's alright, Dr. Banner. She's unscathed. Arriana pulled her back.”</p><p>Bruce let out a sigh. “Oh, thank god.”</p><p>“What in the world?” Steve said. “What did she just do?”</p><p>“Eheheheheh,” Loki grinned shakily, still keeping a hand on Bruce's shoulder to steady him. “It's her ground-pound of fear. It sends fear and madness in all directions. It's very powerful.”</p><p>“I've never seen her do that before,” Tony said.</p><p>“Really?” Loki frowned. “She did it when they broke me out of prison.”</p><p>“No, I take that back,” Tony said. “I have seen her do it, it just...” He shook his head, watching opened mouthed. “It's just never been that effective.”</p><p>“Stark,” Clint's voice shook slightly. “We've set the final detonator. We're exiting to go take a plane.”</p><p>“You're in luck, there's a running jeep just outside the doors,” Tony said. “Hurry and you'll be able to snatch it.”</p><p>“Copy that.”</p><p>
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</p><p>* * *</p><p>
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</p><p>Clint and Natasha raced down the hallway, burst out the main doors of the base, and let loose a hailstorm of bullets and arrows. The jeep was sitting just a few feet away.</p><p>Natasha rapidly reloaded her gun with a snap. The backs of the gauntlets she wore lit up blue. She leaped forward onto the man sitting in the jeep and slammed her fist into his upper back. Electricity arched over his body until he slumped over. She shoved him out of the jeep and climbed into the back as Clint leaped into the driver's seat.</p><p>He took off as Natasha unleashed another rain of bullets. Slamming his foot onto the pedal, he pushed the jeep as fast as it would go, careening around corners.</p><p>Every few moments, Natasha tossed out another detonator. Clint made a circuit around the main area of the compound and then headed for the planes waiting on the far western side by the lagoon.</p><p>Natasha left a trail of dead bodies as they drove. Bullets whizzed past them.</p><p>“We've got guards,” Clint said. Grabbing the rifle that was lying on the seat beside him, he pinned the gas pedal down. He stood on the seat, steering with one foot, and pulled out his bow. “And now we'll have dead guards.”</p><p>He shot off two arrows, which flew at terrifying speeds off the front of the speeding jeep. The men dropped. Two others ran forward, both dropping with arrows in their chests.</p><p>Clint dropped back into the seat, unpinned the rifle, and slammed on the brake, skidding in next to the Quinjet.</p><p>Natasha jumped and rolled, pulling open the ramp.</p><p>They raced on and Clint dropped into the pilot's seat.</p><p>Agents raced after them. Natasha cranked the door shut as bullets pinged off it. She ran to the front and jumped into the gunner's seat. Flipping switches, she raised the machine gun.</p><p>The agents slid to a stop and scrambled backward.</p><p>“Dasvidania.”</p><p>
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</p><p>* * *</p><p>
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</p><p>“Tony, we're at the final exit door,” Lizzy said. “Are we clear?”</p><p>“Get going! Barton and Romanoff have already headed to get a jet ready.”</p><p>They kicked the door open, shooting both guards that stood on either side.</p><p>Michael kept Coulson between them, and kept pushing him down. “Stop trying to help, Coulson,” he said. “You're the damsel in distress.”</p><p>“I can help,” Coulson said.</p><p>“We don't need it.”</p><p>They darted between buildings.</p><p>“Tony, we need a jeep,” Arriana called as they fired around the corner of a barracks.</p><p>“Should be a few around the front.”</p><p>“Let's move!” Lizzy shouted.</p><p>They raced forward around the building and right into a hive of agents.</p><p>“Motherfucker!” Lizzy emptied a magazine in a minute.</p><p>Crouching behind a jeep, they reloaded.</p><p>“There's too many,” Arriana said. “We need to try our banishing charm.”</p><p>“I think she's right,” Michael said.</p><p>Lizzy nodded. “Worth a shot.”</p><p>“Coulson, hang onto me.”</p><p>Frowning slightly, Coulson grabbed onto his chest.</p><p>The Triplets popped up, hands out, and pushed away from them. Agents went flying backward, many slamming into whatever was in the way.</p><p>Lizzy jumped into the jeep. “I'll hotwire it.”</p><p>“Make it fast,” Arriana said. “I want out of here before they come back extra pissed.”</p><p>Lizzy popped the panel open and pulled out her multi-tool.</p><p>Arriana pushed Coulson into the backseat and climbed up after him.</p><p>“Michael, give me the electrical tape you carry,” Lizzy said.</p><p>He pulled his pack off and rammed his hand into it, grabbing the tape.</p><p>Arriana pushed Coulson down into the footwell, straddling the back of the front seats. “Hurry, Lizzy. I need to get us out of here.”</p><p>“I can help you three,” Coulson protested.</p><p>“Stay down,” she said, pushing him down again.</p><p>Burning pain stabbed through Michael's shoulder. He cried out and a split-second later, Arriana pitched forward with a scream.</p><p>“What happened?” Tony cried over the headphones.</p><p>“Lizzy, they're hit,” Coulson called.</p><p>The engine roared to life and Lizzy popped up. Coulson pulled Michael into the backseat.</p><p>Lizzy scanned for their attacker and raised her gun as another bullet ripped through the side of her suit. She let out a strangled cry as blood blossomed down her side.</p><p>“Triplets! What's going on? Do you copy?”</p><p>
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  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The mission is completed, but not without trouble...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Stay down,” Arriana's voice was commanding over the speaker.</p><p>“He never did listen,” Fury said with a chuckle, making the others manage a weak laugh through their stress.</p><p>All laughter died as they heard Michael scream, and a moment later Arriana's piercing scream echoed through the Party Deck.</p><p>“Arriana,” Steve breathed.</p><p>“My darlings, no!” Loki's strangled cry broke Thor's heart.</p><p>“Tony, what's happening?” Steve shouted.</p><p>“I'm working on it, Steve,” Tony said. He turned up the volume to speak louder in the triplets' ears. “Jarvis, triangulate their exact position.”</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>“What happened?” Tony said over the microphone.</p><p>Coulson's voice was muffled, but painfully clear. “Lizzy, they're hit!”</p><p>The engine revved for a moment and then settled to a purr.</p><p>Steve and Loki gripped each other's arm, waiting for an answer.</p><p>Lizzy's strangled cry twisted Bruce's stomach.</p><p>“Triplets! What's going on? Do you copy?” Tony cried, desperately hating himself for not going with them. “Triplets! Come on, please answer!”</p><p>The room was trembling with silence. Fury sat forward, listening intently. Steve and Loki both had a hand on Bruce's shoulder and were half gripping each other as they listened, wondering if the loves of their lives would even come home.</p><p>“Come on, Lizzy,” Bruce whispered, his voice tight. “Come on, please be alright. Please.”</p><p>“Arriana, you have to be okay,” Steve's voice trembled, “because I can't lose another person I love. I can't.”</p><p>Loki closed his eyes. <em>Hear me, my loves. Please, you cannot leave me.</em></p><p>Coulson's muffled voice came over the speaker, “Arriana!”</p><p>“I'm fine,” came her strained voice.</p><p>
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</p><p>Coulson sprang up with his gun drawn and blasted three shots off, dropping the gunman dead.</p><p>“Arriana!” he called.</p><p>“I'm fine,” she gasped. Dragging herself up with a smothered scream, she threw the jeep in gear and slammed her foot down on the gas.</p><p>Lizzy and Michael recovered themselves, though tears poured down their cheeks as pain seared through the gunshot wounds. Michael tucked his right arm against his side and shot off three rounds at an incoming agent with his left. Lizzy held on to the front seat, firing as they drove.</p><p>“God dammit, you three,” Coulson said. “You still don't listen.”</p><p>“Not now,” Lizzy growled out through clenched teeth.</p><p>Pain becoming unbearable, Arriana shifted her weight to the left, though every movement seared and burned. “I think it's in the bone,” she whimpered, tears now pouring freely down her face. “Motherfucking bastards!”</p><p>Lizzy, Michael, and Coulson shot incoming agents as Arriana drove. The three minutes it took to make the three miles across the compound felt eternal.</p><p>“What's going on?” Tony asked over the headsets, his voice tight and faintly trembling.</p><p>“We're on our way to the plane,” Lizzy panted.</p><p>“Tell Tasha to stop firing,” Arriana grunted through her clenched jaw.</p><p>The machine gun fire stopped only a moment before they sped into range.</p><p>Arriana let out a scream as she skidded the jeep up in front of the one already sitting there.</p><p>Coulson jumped out and pulled Michael and Lizzy to their feet. Michael threw the bag of detonators towards several nearby Quinjets as Coulson yanked Arriana out of the driver seat</p><p>“Shit,” he hissed as he saw the pool of blood beneath her.</p><p>He pulled her arm around his neck and half carried her onto the Quinjet, catching Lizzy and Michael as they ran ahead of him. They collapsed onto the floor of the jet as the doors closed.</p><p>“Get us in the air, Clint,” Natasha called.</p><p>The jet rose off the ground with agents still firing after them. Several ran for another Quinjet.</p><p>Natasha flicked a few switches. A guided missile dropped out of the jet. She steered it around. “I suggest you fly higher.”</p><p>Clint pitched the jet nearly straight up into the air as the missile hit. Coulson and the Triplets slid to the back of the plane with a thud and three cries. An explosion rocked the jet, and a moment later an even larger explosion nearly dropped them out of the air as the detonators went off.</p><p>“Why'd you set them off?” Clint cried as he fought to right the jet.</p><p>Natasha flicked switches and hit the boosters. “I didn't. They went off on their own.”</p><p>“I threw ours towards the jets,” Michael croaked out.</p><p>“Romanoff, get back here,” Coulson called. He flipped Arriana over. “Shit!”</p><p>A bullet hole in her right ass cheek was flowing blood. He leaned forward, putting pressure on it as she screamed out.</p><p>“Romanoff,” he called again. “They're hit!”</p><p>
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</p><p>* * *</p><p>
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</p><p>Natasha swore in Russian and said, “I will fucking yell at your three later.” Two screams followed from what sounded like Michael and Lizzy.</p><p>Bruce curled forward, arms wrapped around himself. Loki held his breath, wishing he could take their pain.</p><p>“Please, stop!” Arriana begged. “Please, it's still in there.”</p><p>Steve doubled over, and then turned, pacing away and back again.</p><p>Coulson's voice was gentle and too low to hear distinctly.</p><p>“Clint,” Natasha's voice sounded over the pleading and whimpering, “you have to get us back as fast as you can. They've all been shot.”</p><p>“No,” Loki whimpered.</p><p>
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</p><p>Natasha launched out of the gunner's seat with a curse and slid to the back of the jet. “I will fucking yell at you three later,” she said. She yanked Lizzy next to Michael. Putting her knee on the wound on his shoulder and both hands down on Lizzy's side.</p><p>They screamed, trying to struggle away, but she held them still.</p><p>“Please stop,” Arriana sobbed. “Please, it's still in there.”</p><p>“I'm sorry, sweetheart,” Coulson said gently, “but I have to slow the blood flow. We have a long flight.”</p><p>“Clint,” Natasha called. “You have to get us back as fast as you can. They've all been shot.”</p><p>“Copy that.” Clint flipped several switches and the jet lunged forward as it picked up speed, rapidly. “I'll have to hit Mach 3. Hang on!”</p><p>Natasha grabbed several tie downs nearby and lashed them all to the wall with Coulson's help.</p><p>“Barton, let them know wherever we're going that we have injuries,” Coulson said.</p><p>“Aw, shit,” Clint said. “They are not going to like this.”</p><p>
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</p><p>* * *</p><p>
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</p><p>“Stark, the Triplets are down,” came Clint's voice over the speaker.</p><p>“So we've been hearing,” Tony said, hair standing on end from running his hands through it.</p><p>“What are the injuries?” Bruce asked, suddenly coming to himself.</p><p>“Romanoff and Coulson are putting pressure on the wounds. Bleeding heavily. Michael's shot in the shoulder... Lizzy's shot in the side... and ooh.” He gave a choked laugh. “That's brutal. Arriana's been shot in the ass.”</p><p>“What?” Bruce cried.</p><p>“Shoulder, side, ass.”</p><p>Bruce stared at the screen for a moment in silence. Then he shook himself. “Are there exit wounds?”</p><p>“On Lizzy and Michael, yes. Not on Arriana.”</p><p>“I'm not sure if that's good or bad,” he said.</p><p>“What do you mean?” Steve asked.</p><p>“Well, it means I'll have to dig the bullet out, but it also means it didn't destroy her hip entirely,” he said, looking up at Steve. “Because I don't think I have a hip replacement in the tower.”</p><p>Tony winced. “Nope. I didn't prepare for any replacements, but I could fabricate one if we needed it. I've got titanium.”</p><p>“Flying Mach 3,” Clint said. “I'll get them back as fast as I can.”</p><p>“Jarvis, calculate with Mach 3 speeds,” Tony said.</p><p>“Approximate landing at 8:56am, sir.”</p><p>The cries and occasional screams in the background were turning everyone's stomachs as they thought about the Triplets in so much pain.</p><p>“Can they go faster?” Steve asked.</p><p>“They're already going three times the speed of sound,” Tony said. “It's going to cause them severe pain as it is, but we need the speed.”</p><p>“Tony, what's the largest OR you have?” Bruce asked.</p><p>“Uh, OR 3, I think. Why?”</p><p>“Because I'm going to be doing three simultaneous surgeries when they get back.” Bruce ran his hands through his hair again, and then stood and rolled up his sleeves. “I don't know how I'm going to manage that, but I don't have a choice. I can't leave them bleeding or they could die.”</p><p>
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</p><p>Clint brought the plane down as gently as possible, guiding it into the hangar. The helicopter was already running with no one in it, sitting beside the hangar.</p><p>Coulson and Natasha climbed off the trembling and quiet Triplets.</p><p>“When did they go quiet?” Clint asked as he heaved Michael to his feet and pulled him over his shoulders.</p><p>“About an hour ago,” Coulson said, picking Arriana up.</p><p>Natasha picked up Lizzy. “They've lost a decent amount of blood, but I think it's the pain.”</p><p>They hurried out to the helicopter and loaded the Triplets in as quickly as they could.</p><p>Clint leaped into the pilot's seat and took off, careening across New York, narrowly avoiding a traffic helicopter.</p><p>As he brought it down on the helipad on Stark Tower, they could see everyone gathered outside with three gurneys.</p><p>Bruce raced forward as soon as he set the helicopter down. “Are they still responsive?” he shouted over the roaring blades.</p><p>“They're out of it, but still responsive,” Natasha shouted back.</p><p>Steve and Thor hurried forward. Steve picked Michael up as he was the closest to the door and laid him on the first gurney. Natasha and Tony pulled it away. Thor picked up Lizzy, gently setting her down, and Bruce and Clint swept her off. Steve gently picked up Arriana, cradling her against his chest.</p><p>“It's going to be alright,” he cooed as he set her on the bed. “I promise.”</p><p>Coulson watched him for a moment, and then they pushed her bed after the others.</p><p>“Powering off helicopter,” Jarvis said as they raced through the Party Deck.</p><p>“Thanks, J,” Tony said.</p><p>Pepper sat with Fury and they watched them sweep past into the three prepared elevators.</p><p>The elevators moved painfully slowly as they descended to the Infirmary. As soon as the doors opened, they pushed the three beds down the long hall to OR 3.</p><p>“I need their suits cut off,” Bruce ordered. “Whoever isn't needed for that, scrub in.”</p><p>Natasha, Clint, and Coulson all worked to cut away their suits. It took several minutes as the fabric resisted the scissors until they each grabbed a knife, sawing away at the fabric.</p><p>By the time they had finished, the others were back.</p><p>“You three go scrub in,” Bruce said. He looked up at Steve, Thor, and Loki. “Can any of you set an IV?”</p><p>They shook their heads.</p><p>“Perfect,” Bruce rolled his eyes. “Don't have a single competent nurse and I've got three surgeries at once.” He ran to the cupboard and yanked out the supplies he needed. “Who went quiet first?” he called to Natasha and Coulson.</p><p>“Arriana,” Coulson said. “I think it's the pain. The bullet's still in there.”</p><p>“Lizzy was next and then Michael,” Natasha said.</p><p>Bruce pulled a stool next to Arriana's bed and sat down.</p><p>“We can set IV's,” Clint said.</p><p>“Good, grab stuff and get one set in each of them. I need fluids and sedatives going into them. Coulson, how useful are you right now?”</p><p>“What do you need?”</p><p>“Grab the local anesthesia. I can't put them under, so I have to work with monitored care.”</p><p>They scurried to do as he said.</p><p>The Triplets began shifting and moaning as they sensed the lack of movement.</p><p>“Are we home?” Lizzy mumbled. “Did we keep our promise?”</p><p>“Talk to them, please, Loki,” Bruce said.</p><p>Loki leaped over Michael's bed. “Yes, my darling,” he cooed, pushing her hair back. “You kept your promise to come back to me.”</p><p>“I'm sorry,” Michael whimpered. “I'm sorry, I didn't see him.”</p><p>Loki turned to him. “No, my love, you did wonderfully. These things just happen sometimes,” he sniffed. “You're going to be alright. I promise.”</p><p>Arriana started crying.</p><p>“Steve, go to her,” Loki said, tears stinging his eyes. “I don't want to multiply myself when they're like this.”</p><p>Steve looked at him for a moment and then nodded. “Arriana, you're okay,” he soothed. “Everything's going to be okay. Bruce is going to give you medicine to help it not hurt so much.” His voice tightened.</p><p>Within a few minutes, Bruce, Clint, and Natasha had IVs set. Coulson brought the local anesthesia to Bruce.</p><p>“Alright, Steve and Thor, I need you to hold her down,” Bruce said. “This is going to hurt.”</p><p>They frowned, but nodded. Steve cradled Arriana's upper body and Thor held her legs down. Bruce pushed the needle in, going deep. Arriana cried out, struggling against their hold.</p><p>“No, shhhh...” Steve cooed. “It's alright. It'll help.”</p><p>“Alright,” Bruce said. “Steve, keep an eye on her. Thor, I need you to hold Lizzy down.”</p><p>“No,” Lizzy cried. “I'll hold still.”</p><p>Bruce looked at her, but didn't have the heart to argue. “I need you to be still. This is going to hurt.” He rolled her onto her side, leaning her up against him and gently held her still himself. “It's down to the muscle and may have clipped your rib, but at least it doesn't look like the bullet hit any organs,” he said gently as he slowly depressed the syringe of local.</p><p>She whimpered and clung on to him, but didn't move.</p><p>“Alright, I need you to lie on your side, but I need to go give Michael his local.”</p><p>She nodded. Clint pulled her back to the center of the bed.</p><p>Bruce hurried around to Michael. Thor put gentle pressure on Michael's legs and Loki cuddled around his head, trying to stay out of the way of Bruce getting to his shoulder.</p><p>“Hold onto me, my love,” he cooed, letting Michael grip his hand.</p><p>Bruce had to insert the needle close to Michael's neck. He whimpered and squeezed Loki's hand hard.</p><p>“That's it, darling. Squeeze as hard as you like.”</p><p>“That's what you said last night,” Michael managed out through gritted teeth.</p><p>Tony gave a snort. Coulson, Natasha, and Clint rolled their eyes, but laughed softly.</p><p>“It's still hurting,” Arriana whimpered.</p><p>“I'm sorry, Arriana. The lidocaine can only go so deep,” Bruce said. “It's not going to make the pain go away entirely. Just help it some.”</p><p>“Is that the same for me, Brucey?” Lizzy moaned.</p><p>A sad smile lifted one corner of his mouth. “Yes, Lizzy. I'm sorry.” He looked over the monitors that Clint, Natasha, and Coulson had hooked up. “BP's low, but not terrible considering. Okay,” he sighed. “Let's get started. I need pressure on both sides of Michael and Lizzy's wounds. Coulson, take Michael with Loki's help. Romanoff, take Lizzy with Tony's help. Steve and Barton, you'll assist me.”</p><p>“What can I do to help?” Thor asked, looking between his three injured friends.</p><p>“Stand by in case anyone needs help holding someone down.” He turned to look Thor directly in the eyes. “But only if we can't get them to stay still on their own, okay? Don't just grab anyone.”</p><p>“Of course,” he said. “I see that they do not like being restrained.” He managed a worried smile. “I shall restrain myself.”</p><p>Arriana giggled through her whimpering, only making her pain worse. “Ow, ow, ow, ow.”</p><p>“Shhh, Carebear,” Clint cooed. “You're going to be okay. We'll get you all patched up.”</p><p>She gripped his and Steve's hand. “But my pretty butt... I'll have a big scar.”</p><p>He chuckled. “Your butt will still be pretty. I'm sure Bruce will do a good job to keep the scar small.”</p><p>Bruce shook his head slightly and gave a wry laugh. “I will do my very best to keep the scar small. But we have to get the bullet out first or your butt will have to look good sporting a cane.”</p><p>“Nooo,” she whimpered. “Canes don't work well with heels.”</p><p>“Then hang on, because I need to get this out.”</p><p>She tightened her grip on Clint and Steve's hands.</p><p>“Hang on,” Tony said. “Give her something to bite on. I have some mouth guards in the cupboard next to you, Steve.”</p><p>He frowned slightly, but turned and pulled the cupboard door open.</p><p>“Grab three of those clear plasticky things.”</p><p>“These?” Steve said, holding up a U-shaped silicone object.</p><p>“Yup.”</p><p>Steve handed off two of them and then held one up for Arriana.</p><p>“Thank you,” she sniffled as she opened her mouth for him to put it between her teeth.</p><p>“I'm sorry this happened.”</p><p>“Ah'll be al-aight,” she mumbled around the mouth guard.</p><p>“Alright, deep breath,” Bruce said, pulling a surgical tray over.</p><p>He started cleaning up the area so he could see a little better, but then there was nothing to do but to start digging the bullet out.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Surgery continues and Coulson discovers Loki's here.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arriana let out a scream as he began digging, but quickly shut it down, clamping down on the mouth guard. To Bruce, Steve, and Thor's surprise, however, the other two screamed out at first, too.</p><p>“What's going on?” Bruce asked.</p><p>“Don't worry about it, Bruce,” Tony said. “This happens. Their minds are linked. They share pain, too. Which means...” He looked up at Loki. “How bad is it?”</p><p>Loki glanced up at him, his jaw clenched. “Distinct,” was all he said.</p><p>Bruce shook himself and continued working. “Loki, let me know if anything gets a lot worse.”</p><p>“I'll get right on that, Banner,” he growled. They all looked up at him. He cleared his throat. “My apologies, the pain surged as you asked. I will keep you abreast of significant changes.”</p><p>Minutes stretched longer and longer as he dug fragment after fragment out of her flesh.</p><p>“Almost done, Arriana,” he said.</p><p>She could only whimper, fighting to deep breathe through the pain as tears streamed down her cheeks.</p><p>“Oh, shit,” Bruce mumbled.</p><p>“What's wrong?” several people asked.</p><p>“The last fragment is lodged in the bone.” He frowned for a moment. “There's nothing else to do. Thor, hold her legs down. Steve, hold her torso. Barton, hold any part of her you can.” Arriana's crying increased. “I know, I'm sorry,” he said. “But I have to. Just try to hold still.”</p><p>He dug down through the injured flesh and took hold of the final piece. She screamed and fought against their hold, but a god, a super soldier, and a master assassin were not easy to throw off.</p><p>Bruce tugged.</p><p>Glass shattered.</p><p>They looked up to see one of the glass windows out into the hallway had inexplicably shattered.</p><p>“Arri, the demo room is to the right,” Tony said.</p><p>“Demo room?” Bruce asked.</p><p>He nodded. “I keep a room of things to break near all the OR's. That way if their powers get out of hand, they have somewhere safe to channel them.”</p><p>In the distance they heard three more glass explosions.</p><p>“It's a good use of my money.”</p><p>Bruce pressed down to open the wound farther and pulled. Arriana screamed, followed by the other two only a second later, Loki groaned softly as he tried to soothe Michael. The bullet came loose, and Bruce carefully extracted it.</p><p>Arriana buried her face in Steve's shoulder, sobbing until she almost couldn't breathe.</p><p>“Shh, Arriana, you need to calm down,” Steve cooed.</p><p>“Alright, Barton, put pressure on this to get the fresh bleeding to stop while I see to Lizzy and Michael,” Bruce said.</p><p>Clint moved forward. “Sorry, Carebear.” With a handful of gauze, he pushed down on the wound.</p><p>Her scream melted into a groan as she gripped Steve and they heard several more explosions in the nearby room.</p><p>“How are we doing on the bleeding?” Bruce asked Natasha as he came over to Lizzy, automatically stroking her shoulder.</p><p>Lizzy let go of Tony's arm and gripped onto Bruce's, pressing her lips to his skin and breathing in the familiar scent of him.</p><p>“It looks like it's slowing, but still actively bleeding,” Natasha said.</p><p>“Alright, I'll have you hold pressure a little longer and I'll see to Michael first.” Bruce bent down, brushing her hair back. “I'll be back in a few minutes to take care of you.”</p><p>“G-go,” she panted. “Take care of M-Michael.”</p><p>He couldn't help himself and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I'll be right back.”</p><p>Bruce gently extricated his arm from her grip and nudged her back to Tony, who cuddled her against him as best he could without disturbing Natasha's ability to put pressure on her side. He hurried around her bed to Michael's side.</p><p>“How's he doing?”</p><p>“Still bleeding, I think it nicked a vein,” Coulson said.</p><p>“Probably the Cephalic vein.” Bruce pulled the surgical light closer. “Go ahead and release pressure.”</p><p>Coulson slowly let go, pulling away a handful of bloodied gauze.</p><p>Bruce picked up several instruments and carefully dug in the wound. “Yeah, it's hard to see with all the blood, but I can see it's coming from the vein.” He sighed. “Coulson, hand me the vein glue.” He worked carefully, pausing every now and then as Michael squirmed. “Hold him still, please.”</p><p>“I'm doing the best I can,” Loki panted. “They're in a lot of pain.”</p><p>“Thor, can you give us a hand, please.”</p><p>“I can take care of him,” Loki protested.</p><p>“I need to get him put back together. Now isn't the time for pride. I need him still so I don't glue the wrong things together.”</p><p>Gritting his teeth against the insult on top of the pain of injury, Loki shifted aside to make room for Thor. Coulson held Michael's legs still enough and Thor held his torso down.</p><p>Michael cried out as Bruce continued working. The glue stung past the numbness.</p><p>“Can't you knock m-me out?” he gasped.</p><p>“No, I'm sorry, but you three were too near unconscious. I can't risk you going into a coma.”</p><p>“Bruce,” Tony called, “Lizzy's BP is dropping.”</p><p>“Shit,” he hissed. “Coulson put pressure on this again.” He spun around as Natasha leaped out of the way. “Damn it, I was wrong. It didn't hit a rib, it nicked her intestine. It's perforated.”</p><p>“Can't you put her under farther?” Tony asked, sweat beading on his forehead.</p><p>“I'll have to with her.” Bruce reached over and turned up her IV drip.</p><p>“Brucey,” she whispered. “I don't want to die.”</p><p>He nearly choked as his throat clenched. “I won't let you die,” he croaked out. Leaning down, he brushed a kiss to her lips. “I won't let anything hurt you.”</p><p>Springing into action, he started calling orders to Natasha and even Thor. He left Tony to monitor Lizzy, knowing he couldn't handle much more than he already was.</p><p>“Lizzy!” Arriana and Michael called.</p><p>“She's just under sedation,” Bruce said. “She's alright.”</p><p>“Something feels terrible,” Loki said. “What's going on?</p><p>“Her large intestine perforated. I have to get it closed up so she doesn't go septic.”</p><p>His hands worked faster than he'd ever managed before, desperate to save the love of his life. Bruce forced his mind to not think about who he was operating on as every time he did his hands started shaking.</p><p>“This is exactly why you're not supposed to operate on someone you care about,” he muttered to himself. Glancing up, he said, “Thor, go to that cupboard and get me a bottle marked ceftriaxone.”</p><p>“Yes, sir,” Thor said, spinning on his heel and racing to the indicated cupboard. “There are many bottles.”</p><p>“Jarvis, help him out,” Tony called.</p><p>“Ceftriaxone is located on the third shelf to your right in the back row, fourth in from the wall of the cupboard,” Jarvis said.</p><p>“Thank you, sir,” Thor said as he grabbed the bottle, double checked it was correct and raced back to Bruce's side.</p><p>“Thank you, nurse,” he said automatically. “I've cauterized the perforation. Not my preference, but I don't want things to worsen.”</p><p>Bruce fell silent as he worked, occasionally issuing an order. Moans and whimpers filled the room as the Triplets writhed.</p><p>“Okay, Romanoff, gauze and gentle pressure. I'll finish Michael up and be back to check on her.” He restrained himself from stroking her hair only because his hands were covered in blood. Shedding his gloves for a fourth time, he returned to Michael's side. “How's the bleeding?”</p><p>“Slowing significantly,” Coulson said.</p><p>“Good. We can close him up now. Stitch kit, nurse.”</p><p>Coulson smiled as he handed Bruce what he needed. He worked silently as he stitched up the entry wound.</p><p>“Alright, turn him on his left side,” he said with a sigh.</p><p>Loki, Coulson, and Thor carefully turned Michael onto his side, giving Bruce access to the exit wound. He quickly stitched him up. “Okay, we're closed. Nurse, give him a dose of morphine and let him rest. Monitor vitals.”</p><p>“Yes, doctor,” Coulson said.</p><p>“Nurse, how is she doing?” Bruce asked, returning to Lizzy's side.</p><p>Natasha rolled her eyes, but said, “BP is steady and seems to be rebounding slowly.”</p><p>“Good. Carefully release pressure and let me have a look.”</p><p>She slowly pulled away the bloodied gauze.</p><p>“We're looking good,” he sighed. “Alright, I need the surgical glue and the stitch kit.”</p><p>“You could stitch your name into it,” Lizzy mumbled.</p><p>“That is terrifying, Lizzy,” he said, shaking his head. She laughed softly. “Well, good to know I probably have enough sedatives in you.” He glanced up. “How's Arriana doing, Barton?”</p><p>“She's in a lot of pain and her BP is rising slightly.”</p><p>“Alright, up her IV drip. We should be safe by now.”</p><p>He gently and slowly worked on Lizzy's side, making sure to stitch her up neatly. Finally, he sighed. “Alright, stop the sedatives and give her a dose of morphine. She can rest.” Feeling the exhaustion creeping in, he gave himself a shake and hurried around Lizzy's bed back to Arriana.</p><p>“Bleeding seems to have slowed quite a bit,” Clint said.</p><p>“Good.” He gently prodded the wound. “Nurse, give me the surgical glue and stitch kit.”</p><p>“Please keep my butt pretty,” she mumbled.</p><p>Bruce shook his head. “I'll do my best.”</p><p>The other two had fallen quiet. Arriana whimpered and moaned, too tired to scream anymore. He worked quickly, getting her put back together and bandaged.</p><p>“Stop the sedatives and give her a dose of morphine.” Bruce heaved a sigh and pulled his gloves off. “Okay, we're done.” Looking Lizzy over quickly, he noticed the cuts from the coral. “Oh, right. Nurse, get me antiseptic and bandaging,” he said, looking at Thor.</p><p>Thor nodded. “Jarvis, where do I find the things he is asking for.”</p><p>“In the cupboard behind you, sir. You will find the antiseptic swabs in the upper cupboard and the bandaging in the drawers below.”</p><p>“Thank you, Jarvis. You are most helpful.” Thor quickly brought back what he'd asked for.</p><p>Bruce quickly cleaned Lizzy's hands and face up and carefully bandaged her, and then did the same for Michael. Arriana had gotten off fairly easy and only had cuts on her hands and her shoulder.</p><p>Giving himself a shake, Bruce said, “Romanoff, Barton, let me see your injuries.”</p><p>“We're fine,” Clint said.</p><p>“Show him your back, Clint,” Natasha said.</p><p>With a sigh and mild glare at her, he unzipped his suit and pulled it down to reveal his back raked with cuts and bloodied.</p><p>“That's a little worse than I feared,” Bruce said, pulling on a clean set of gloves. “Romanoff, do you have any injuries?”</p><p>“Minor only,” she said, holding up he hands to show small cuts and a few gouges.</p><p>“Coulson, can you clean her up while I get Barton put back together?” he said.</p><p>“Yes, sir.” He grabbed a few antiseptic swabs and bandages. “How the hell did you all get cut up like this?”</p><p>“We had to dive to the island,” she said. “There was a reef break on the side we entered. We found an entry, but the surf was strong, so we got pushed against it.”</p><p>Coulson shook his head. “I'm sorry you had to do that for me.”</p><p>“It was worth it,” was all she said.</p><p>Clint winced, gritting his teeth, as Bruce cleaned his back.</p><p>“There are a few pieces of coral broken off in your skin. I need to get them out and clean the cuts thoroughly. So brace yourself.” Bruce injected lidocaine and then began cutting open where the coral was lodged under the skin.</p><p>“Holy shit,” he hissed and started humming.</p><p>“Are you...” Bruce frowned. “Are you humming 'Jesus Christ Superstar'?”</p><p>“Yeah, and?”</p><p>“You don't seem the musicals type.”</p><p>“I'm not, but please tell me how you're supposed to spend more than one day around Lizzy and not have heard that musical enough times to know it by heart. I helped raise her.”</p><p>“We all know it,” Coulson said with a chuckle.</p><p>“Unfortunately,” Natasha said.</p><p>“Aw, come on, Nat. You like that one,” Clint said.</p><p>Fiery eyes snapped to him. “I do not.”</p><p>“Oh, right. That's me. I like that one.” Clint rolled his eyes and winced as Bruce drew a knife-like piece of coral from his back.</p><p>“I have to say I'm amazed how much you five managed to do even with injury,” Bruce said.</p><p>Clint shrugged, regretting it immediately. “You do what you have to. You don't get home alive if you stop because it hurts. You block it out and move on.”</p><p>“Is that how Arriana managed to drive with a bullet in her...” Steve's face blazed, “behind?”</p><p>“Yes,” Clint said.</p><p>“You stop for nothing,” Natasha said. “You don't stop for fear, you don't stop for pain, and you don't hesitate.”</p><p>“A bit harsh, isn't it?” Steve asked.</p><p>“We taught them to survive, Cap,” Clint said. “A mission for any of us is always deadly. The name of the game is to complete the mission and come home alive. Everything else heals.”</p><p>“Oh, they'll heal,” Bruce said. “But they're going to be laid up for a while.”</p><p>“This should be fun,” Tony said with a laugh, stroking Lizzy's hair.</p><p>“What do you mean, Stark?” Steve asked. “I'm sure we're all more than happy to take care of our friends.”</p><p>Tony rolled his eyes. “Of course, Spangles, but they hate being laid up. I remember after their families tried to kill them, they were stuck in bed for almost two months. They were going stir-crazy by day three.”</p><p>“I'm amazed they made it that long,” Clint said.</p><p>“Well, it's not like they weren't antsy. They just weren't ready to bounce off walls.”</p><p>“Probably because they'd almost died twice in a row,” Coulson said. “That'll take it out of you.”</p><p>“What?” Steve and Bruce both said.</p><p>“What do you mean they almost died twice in a row?” Bruce asked.</p><p>“Long story, Big Man,” Tony said. “I'll tell you later.”</p><p>“Alright, you're all stitched up, Barton,” he said. “Keep it clean and let me know if anything starts to hurt more. I'm sure you know the drill. I'm putting you all on antibiotics too. We don't need any infections with the coral.”</p><p>“Let's get them out of the OR,” Coulson said. “They don't like to wake up in medical areas.”</p><p>“I don't want them back in their own bed quite yet,” Bruce said.</p><p>“A hospital room will do for now.” Coulson looked around at the familiar faces, and a few new. Then he screeched to a halt. “Loki?!”</p><p>“Aw, shit!” Tony leaped forward and pulled Coulson from the room.</p><p>“You can't leave him in there with them!”</p><p>“Okay, let me explain.” He paused for a moment. “Nope, there's too much, let me sum up.” He took a deep breath. “The Triplets accidentally got their minds tangled with Loki's on the Helicarrier. When we sent him back to Asgard for trial and punishment, Odin tortured him instead. Which in turn tortured the Triplets. When they figured out what was going on, they decided to bust him out. They found out the whole story. He attacked New York under duress of torture. All of us have decided he's served enough time and have put him on probation. Plus the Triplets are in love with him.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Why is everyone always so surprised by that? Boy can get it.” Tony nodded.</p><p>“I didn't want to hear that, Stark.” Coulson blinked away the image. “What do you mean they're in love with him? He'll hurt them.”</p><p>“No, he won't. He's in love with all of them too. Polyamory, Coulson. We all kind of knew no one person would be enough for all of them.”</p><p>Coulson frowned. “What do you mean? Loki's only a single person, at least he seems to be.”</p><p>“He is, I mean that Arriana's also in love with Rogers and Lizzy's in love with Bruce.”</p><p>“Both?”</p><p>“Both.”</p><p>“What about Michael?”</p><p>“I'm guessing there's still someone out there for him.”</p><p>“So are they together?”</p><p>“The Triplets and Loki are, but Rogers and Bruce haven't said anything to the girls. I'm hoping they will now, especially given what just happened.”</p><p>“And they're okay with loving the man that effectively killed me?” Coulson lifted a brow at him.</p><p>“That's a strong statement,” Tony said. “They understand that at the time he wasn't operating completely under his own decisions. And he is sorry. Like, actually really sorry. Before they left to get you, he was terrified and miserable because it was all his fault.”</p><p>“Well, yeah.”</p><p>Tony gave a snort. “Yeah, well, we all know anyone can be made to do anything under torture. And the Triplets have seen some of what he went through in his nightmares.”</p><p>“Bad?”</p><p>“Horrific.”</p><p>“And what do you think?” Coulson asked.</p><p>“I think they're right.”</p><p>“Does Director Fury know?”</p><p>Tony nodded. “He was in on the meeting where we all decided what to do with him.”</p><p>“Did he shoot at him?”</p><p>“No. But keep in mind the Triplets are connected to him, so that wouldn't help anyone. You'll have to talk to Fury yourself to find out his thoughts.”</p><p>“But the Triplets are sure? They know everything and think he's okay?”</p><p>Tony nodded again.</p><p>“Okay,” Coulson sighed, “well, I'm not promising to like him, but for their sake, I won't kill him.”</p><p>“Generous.” Tony clapped him on the shoulder. “And I mean that.”</p><p>Coulson laughed.. “So where are we exactly? I was focused on the Triplets not dying.”</p><p>“You're in Stark Tower. There's a lot to go over. But to sum up, after you 'died', we all went rogue and fought Loki and the Chitauri in New York. The Council decided to nuke everyone and I chucked the nuke through a wormhole and we won.”</p><p>“Why do I get the feeling you're leaving out just about everything?”</p><p>“Because I am. We've been laying low, hoping the Council just made a bad call – right.” Tony rolled his eyes. “But we knew they'd come after us. And they have. So we're on lockdown.”</p><p>“In the most ostentatious tower in the most famous city in the world?”</p><p>“Yup. Safest place. They're not going to nuke New York out of nowhere, and my tower can withstand all other bombs for a long time.”</p><p>“What about infiltration?” Coulson crossed his arms over his chest and widened his stance – exactly the way Steve did.</p><p>Tony shook his head. “Tower's sealed. Nothing comes in or goes out.”</p><p>The door opened and Bruce stuck his head out. “We're ready to move them to a room.”</p><p>As the beds were pushed out of the OR, Coulson and Tony fell into step.</p><p>Loki slowed and joined them. “Agent Coulson, I believe I owe you a most profound apology – to say the very least. I know it cannot undo the pain I've caused you, but please be assured I am most deeply sorry. I understand how dear you are to many and I am truly grieved to have deprived them of you.”</p><p>“Where were you trained? Ms. Manner's Finishing School?” Coulson asked, giving him side-eye.</p><p>“Oh, no, the Palace of Asgard. My mother... Ehem, the queen was very particular about manners.”</p><p>Bruce turned the beds into a room and busied himself with getting them settled.</p><p>They stopped outside the room.</p><p>Coulson heaved a sigh. “Look, I'm not thrilled with this, and I'm not making any decisions until I've talked <em>privately</em> with the Triplets.”</p><p>“Most understandable.”</p><p>“But I appreciate the prompt apology.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Loki glanced into the room. “I know they would want me with them, but may I ask your permission to stay with them?”</p><p>“You want my permission? When, I'm guessing, you've already done more with them than I want to know about?”</p><p>“Well, I would have asked you, but I was under the impression you were dead, you see.”</p><p>“Funny.”</p><p>“Eheheheheh, my apologies. My sense of humor is rarely appreciated.”</p><p>Coulson waved aside his words. “I helped raise the Triplets, you're fine.”</p><p>“My thanks.” Loki bowed. “Shall we?” He gestured into the room.</p><p>“I guess.”</p><p>They headed into the room.</p><p>Bruce had heeded Tony's advice, and placed the beds right up next to one another, nudging the Triplets towards each other.</p><p>“Dr. Banner, is it safe for me to sit among them?” Loki asked.</p><p>“Um, yeah, I guess. But Lizzy has to stay on her right side, Michael can't lay on his right side, and Arriana has to lay on her stomach.”</p><p>Loki nodded. “Are we able to change their position?”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“Well, given your rules for them, they'll be happiest if I sit with Michael in my lap in the center, with Arriana to my right and Lizzy on my left – lying on her right side. That way they can see each other and know they're alright, and I can do my best to calm all three of them.”</p><p>“That is the normal way they sleep,” Tony said. “It's a little thing, but they've slept that way a long time, so it makes them nervous any other way.”</p><p>“Unless they choose it of course,” Loki said. “But given that they are not choosing right now, I think it's best to conform to their usual positions.”</p><p>Bruce nodded. “That should be fine, but let us help so their IVs don't get tangled.”</p><p>They all helped as Loki lifted the Triplets into a better position around him. He tucked them against him, stroking their hair, and within a few minutes they all seemed to relax a little more.</p><p>Loki looked between Bruce and Steve. “I've been wanting to talk to you both, and now seems a good time.”</p><p>“About what?” Steve asked.</p><p>“Oh, Captain Rogers, please don't act the fool. It doesn't flatter you.”</p><p>Steve pursed his lips. “What do you want, Loki?”</p><p>“I am aware you are not fond of my presence and please be assured that if I thought, for one moment, the Triplets would be better off without me, I would leave, and chance my safety elsewhere.” He watched them for a moment. “But I know that it is not safe for them nor is it what they want. They love me and I know that.”</p><p>“What's your point?”</p><p>“I know you were trying to talk to the girls before they left, but do you still mean to tell them you love them?”</p><p>Both men turned bright red.</p><p>Bruce nodded. “She deserves to know.”</p><p>“So does Arriana,” Steve said.</p><p>“Excellent,” Loki said.</p><p>“You want us to take them from you?” Steve quirked a brow at him.</p><p>“Take them from me? No.” He shook his head and watched his three sleeping loves for a moment. “Only if that is what they want. However, I know it isn't. Anyone else they choose to love will be in addition to me.”</p><p>Steve and Bruce both stayed silent, watching him, until he spoke again.</p><p>“But please rest assured I would welcome you both. And welcome the help in loving them properly.” He frowned. “They give so much love, they should have just as much in return.”</p><p>“You want us with them?” Bruce asked.</p><p>Loki nodded. “I've found you both to be fine men, and I'm not surprised by them wishing you for friends. I shall not reveal what their further thoughts on you may or may not be, however, if they choose to love you, I welcome it.”</p><p>“You have got to be the strangest man I've ever met,” Steve said.</p><p>“I'll take that as a compliment, Captain,” Loki said.</p><p>Bruce sighed. “If she'll love me, then I don't care how many other people she loves. Just so long as I'm one of them.”</p><p>“I need to talk with her,” Steve said. “I'm not sure what I'm going to say.”</p><p>“For a moment, let yourself imagine she loves you, Captain,” Loki said. “Would it bother you if she also loved me?”</p><p>“I... I don't know.” Steve ran his hands over his face. “I want to say yes because that's what I'm used to, but the truth is...” He sighed. “If she loves me... if somehow on this lonely, barren planet, she loves me, I don't care about anything else. I just want to feel her in my arms again.”</p><p>“Even if she is also in my arms?”</p><p>Steve laughed, his eyes tracing every line and curve of Arriana's face. “Yeah. Even then.”</p><p>
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